IT’S STARTING TO LOOK AT LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS! HAVING THE EYES OF GOD!
Merry Monday Parris Bailey
Isaiah 33:17″Thine eyes shall see the king in his beauty: they shall behold the land that is very far off.”
I was reading a Facebook the other day with someone quoting how Christ is all despite the way “Christmas might be looking to them”. I wholeheartedly agree! When we see Christ in His beauty all the tinsel lights seem to dim! When we make God’s character the goal of our life we learn to dwell with God in the high places. What this means in practice is that circumstances no longer hold ultimate sway over us. God can so integrate our personality in such a way that serenity is possible in trying circumstances. (he gives them “shalom” or peace/wholeness)
I know that each of us can wander through life working tirelessly at our jobs, raising our family, being with our friends and yet miss the beauty of God. We miss Him in the baby’s smile, or a co-worker’s laugh. We seem to look for Him in all of the wrong places. Do you SEE HIM? Is He active in your thoughts or present in your simple activities during the day? Christ isn’t to be “confined” to a church edifice or words in a book.
We can have a larger vision-there is such a vision of Jesus possible to the soul as to make Him more real than all persons and things and give to the heart such utter satisfaction and rest that we never again want anything else. This vision doesn’t add to His beauty but it makes Him real to us so much that other attractions fade and other delights pale before the vision of His love. The vision takes in the whole horizon. For “they shall behold the land of far distance”. He will reveal not only His beauty but all the inheritance of blessing has for us. He gives to us “the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints and the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe”. (Eph 1:18) How large is your faith-I pray God will widen your horizon. Do we have visions of the King? We cannot be rest until we see “the King in all His beauty”. Programs, the world of material things, relationships will fail us. Jesus is to become to us the “brightness of God’s glory and the express image of His person”. (Heb. 1:1-3) Some call it “soul eyes”-one that can sense the near presence of God. They are quick to discern His presence and they detect Him everywhere and in everything. Life is serious, life is glorious to them because God is always “walking in the garden” close by. Soul-eyes detect His beauty or His graciousness, especially as seen in the tenderness and care of His watchings, defending, and delivering. Soul-eyes are long-visioned and see the future, they know they are in God’s hands and will surely prove to be God’s triumph. We are not caught off guard from temporary set backs. Go ahead step aside from the noise of the earth, you might even hear angels sing! (Thoughts from the Pulpit Commentary)