Which Image Do You See?

Saturday, December 4th, 2010

Today's Passage: II Corinthians 3: 12-18
Memory Verse: Colossians 1: 15

This time of year, people often have the tendency to look back over their lives and think about what they don't have.  No matter how blessed we already are, we still focus entirely on ourselves, making a mad dash to acquire more, more, more.  This is how we find ourselves up to our necks in debt, or miserable because our so-called "dreams" haven't yet been realized.

When you really stop and look at things a little more closely, though, you have to be honest with yourself and begin to ask more serious questions.  Such as: why am I REALLY here?  Was the reason I was put on this earth ONLY to live from day to day, trying to make ends meet?  What's the true meaning of this joy some people talk about?  How can every believer walk in it?

The answer's in the Book, of course.  Bishop always says that God's got this funny idea that it's all about Him.  And it is.  But He designed it that way because His plan is to teach us selflessness.  The crazy thing about it is that the more we focus on God, His ways, and the purpose He has for us that can only be revealed when we open ourselves up to Him, the more we experience fulfillment and concentrate less on things around us.

It's kinda like a mirror.  Look into it, and you'll get a picture of what you look like now, compared to what you REALLY want to look like.  If you're like me, you'll realize you've got a long way to go in accomplishing that goal.  But you don't give up; you simply renew your commitment to keep doing something everyday to get where you want to be.  Well, God has given us a Mirror to compare ourselves to.  It's His Son, Jesus.  The more we look into His beautiful face, we'll keep striving to move closer to what He called us to be so that we can please Him.  And when we're focused on Kingdom Business -- representing our Father on this earth -- who'll have time to worry about acquiring more stuff?  It'll pale in comparison to who we truly are.  And that, my brothers and sisters, is something worth striving for.

Prayer:  Father, too many times I use the pages of a magazine as the image of where I should be.  I look now into Your Face, and choose to accept Your image of me.  My life's goal becomes once again to be like You.  Thank You for sending Jesus, the greatest image of grace, mercy, and love that has ever existed.  May my life reflect that image for the rest of my days.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.