VISION
i’m supposed to be studying right now, but as you can see, i’m not. i’ll get to it (i’ve been saying that all day… hahaha)…
anywho, this past week, i had the privilege of attending the annual Arts Conference at Willowcreek Community Church in Illinois. the topic this year was “the real deal” – being authentic people to create authentic services. i had known since december that i should go this year but it wasn’t until a few months later that i was told i could go. i went full of anticipation that God had a reason for me to be there. i expected that maybe God would show me more of His vision for what He wants me to do with my life.
in typical fashion, God surprised me. instead of answering my WHAT question, He answered my WHO question. God showed me a new perspective of Himself and what it means to be His child.
on wednesday night, we attended their mid-week service. the topic that day was on Asking – referring to Matthew 7’s ask, seek and knock passage. when he got to seeking, the speaker talked about Psalm 32:8 where one translation tells us that God is looking us in the eye. how do we know when someone looks us in the eye? we know when we are looking in their eyes.
i’ve always heard to “seek His face,” and i’ve always liked that concept. but i’ve never thought of what i’d see if i were to look. i guess it never occurred to me that God’s face would have eyes for me to look into.
so i expand that image in my mind. me, looking into the eyes of God. meeting His gaze. what would i see? i would see the depths of who i am. i would see the infinity of who He is and His love for me. we would communicate on the level beyond the limits of words.
but what a bold move to make. for to lock eyes with God is to expose myself completely. perhaps i will wonder at what i see about Him, but i am afraid most of what i will see about myself. i know, however, that when i do look, all my fears now will be washed over and lost in His love. so i pray and ask that my Lord would lift this head, now hung in shame, and gently lift this face so that my eyes would meet His.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus
look full in His wonderful face
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of His glory and grace.
Your face, LORD , I will seek.
~Psalm 27:8~