SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2008
This morning as I was getting ready for church, my daughter sat down and struck up a conversation with me. For the most part I don’t remember what we were gabbing about. Just typical mother-daughter conversation. Then our cat walked into the room. He stood on his back legs and put his front paws on Megan trying to get her attention. It was at that point that I remember her making a statement that has stuck with me the rest of the day. She said, “Mom, did you know that cats can see in only black and white?” She went on to say that she felt bad for him that he didn’t see any color. To which I replied, “Don’t feel bad for him, honey. He doesn’t know that he’s missing out on anything.” Instantly I was struck with the realization that I’m not that different from the cat.
How is that possible, you ask? Well, let me explain it this way. Teddy, our cat, only sees what his eyes allow him to see. He sees the shapes, sizes, motion and colors, or lack thereof that God has given him the ability to see. As for me, it ’s not so much my actual vision that is limited, but my ability to see what God is accomplishing in my life. I can only see what is right smack dab in front of me. But just like Teddy can’t see all the things that we can see, I can’t see all that God can see.
Interestingly enough, this morning’s sermon was in keeping with this very topic. One statement in the sermon notes made quite an impression on me. It said, “FOCUS ON HOW BIG GOD IS, NOT HOW BIG THE PROBLEM IS." Wow! You think God was trying to drive a point home? My vision is so limited that 99% of the time I am focused on nothing but my problems!!! And now, God is telling me to look beyond them to Him! The sermon came from verses in Deuteronomy Ch. 7. Verses 17-18 and 21-22 say, "You may say to yourselves, ‘These nations are stronger than we are. How can we drive them out?’ But do not be afraid of them; remember well what the Lord your God did to Pharaoh and to all Egypt….. Do not be terrified by them, for the Lord your God, who is among you, is a great and awesome God. The Lord your God will drive out those nations before you little by little. You will not be allowed to eliminate them all at once, or the wild animals will multiply around you.”
It is amazing to me that the God that promised to eliminate any nations that were a threat to the Israelites is the same God that is at work in my life. At this very moment He is working behind the scenes. Even as I write these words, He is preparing me for the next step in this journey. And as my pastor said, “there are times that things other than just you have to be changed.” I can’t even begin to imagine what those things might be. But God, my Father, knows it all. He is orchestrating every detail so that when the time is right, His plan will be revealed.
Even now, I can see a part of what God is accomplishing in my life. Because I am doing things that a few months ago I would not have imagined possible. Part of God’s plan has unfolded before my eyes. But there is more, so much more that He has in store. 1 Corinthians 13:10 & 12 say, “… but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” This verse is talking about what we know in our lives on earth, compared to what we will know when we are in heaven with God. Then our eyes will be opened to all that we were limited from seeing. For now, we still live in an imperfect world. And what we see isn’t always going to be what we hope for. But our mighty God is always at work! No matter what things look like, there is always hope in Him!!! Thank God that what you see isn’t always what you get.
POSTED BY KRISTIN AT 7:31 PM