This blog is designed to create community for believers and provide support for seekers. I encourage all readers to share their faith in an effort to lift and encourage one another.
II Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
Thank you for giving light in the darkness. May Your light shine in the hearts of each and every person. I thank You for enabling us to have glimpses of Your glory. Help us to know and understand you better so we can live lives pleasing to you. God, brighten Your light in us so that it will shine brightly for others to see.
Every day, in every circumstance, He is worthy of praise. I just finished a four mile walk in the woods. At the moment, I am praising Him for His creative power. What a magnificent world He has created! A stunning variety of plants and animals, a bright blue sky overhead, plus the earth and water to sustain life. Praise Him! Praise Him!
As I taught the simple rhythm game, dozens of pairs of dark brown eyes danced with glee. Huge smiles covered the faces of the beautiful children sitting on the floor with me in this church in the poorest section of Matamoros, Mexico. In spite of the language barriers—the children spoke no English, and I spoke only a little Spanish—we communicated.
As we clapped, snapped, sang, and did crafts together, their eyes sparkled. Later in the day, whenever I glanced up from my work preparing for the next day’s bible school, one or more small brown faces peeked through the church windows. When I smiled and waved, their hands waved furiously, smiles broke out, and brown eyes danced with glee. Pure joy shone out of those huge, dark brown eyes.
Maria, the mother and grandmother of some of those children often sat, watched, and listened at our daytime Bible school. Even though she spoke no English, she loved to watch us and the children.
Part of the day she stayed at her tiny home a block and a half away. There, she watched the men in our group saw boards, pound nails, and paint turquoise walls. Her eyes watched as the new edition to her home, a 8 foot by 16 foot room, nearly doubled the size of her tiny house.
Maria, mother of ten, one deceased, watched her house grow. Maria, quietly sitting in a folding chair at the church, watched the children laugh, play, and learn at Bible school. Maria, active member of her church, sang praise songs at the top of her voice and knelt on the hard tile floor to silently pray. In her eyes I saw tremendous gratitude. In those big brown eyes I saw amazing peace.
Seventeen of us traveled to Matamoros, Mexico in two rented vans. For six days we worked in Mexico, joining God in the work he was already accomplishing there. I looked into the eyes of my 16 companions. Some eyes glowed the same dark brown as those of the residents of Matamoros. Others shone bright blue or green.
At first glance all I saw in those eyes was fatigue. They worked all day in the heat—110 degrees plus heat index—and slept at night together on the roof, praying for a breeze, scattering when it rained. All this produced deep fatigue.
Looking past the fatigue, however, I saw more. In those eyes was resolve: pound one more nail, paint one more board, help one more child, serve one more meal. In these eyes I saw true servanthood. In spite of the unbearable heat and the extreme tiredness, I saw the eyes of the eager servants wishing to do God’s will.
The eyes…the eyes are what I remember most. Whether the brown eyes of the locals or the multi-hued eyes of their guests, I saw something special shining. Through the eyes, as clear as a cloudless sky, I saw the love of Christ shining through.
In what ways are you letting the love of Christ shine through for others?
During a recent walk, I noticed a tiny snail, its shell no bigger than a dime. It appeared motionless, but when I knelt down for a zoomed-in photo, I could see its forward progress. Ever so slowly, it traveled, a millimeter at a time, across the sidewalk. Satisfied with my photo, I continued my walk.
As I walked, I couldn’t stop thinking about that miniscule snail making its way across the path. It travelled slowly, but in a direct line, never deviating from its goal, the grass on the other side of the sidewalk. I compared its direct course to my own spiritual walk. Unlike the sluggish snail, I tend to be a sprinter.
I get excited about a new book, new project, or new bible study and run, run, run. Then I get tired, or distracted, and scurry off in another direction. Just like the rabbit in the tortoise and the hare story, I hop one way, rest a while, then scurry in another direction. Two steps forward, one step back.
At times, it seems I’m not making any progress, and I get discouraged. I sigh, and think of myself as a failure, one who can’t stick with anything, who makes no progress, sees no spiritual growth. But the tiny snail made me re-examine my spiritual walk. I evaluated my spiritual progress over the past few years.
Not so long ago, I reacted in anger when I heard or read views different from mine. I would rant about it to my husband. Since then, I’ve made progress. God has enabled me to examine other ideas and consider people’s motives and backgrounds. Yes, I occasionally still get angry. Two steps forward, one step back. But the anger is short-lived. God reminds me that all people are made in His image, and He loves them, too. He died for them, too. He replaces my anger with love for others.
Recent events have triggered fears and doubts. But God reminded me that He is faithful, in all circumstances. Abraham and Sarah had a child when they were elderly. The Israelites were enslaved, yet God miraculously delivered them. Paul suffered immensely, yet God encouraged and inspired him. In spite of, or because of, recent fearful times, my trust in God and His plans has strengthened. Sometimes I still experience fear, but I quickly remember that He is still in control.
No, I don’t move in a slow, steady, straight line like the snail. But I do move forward. My walk may zig-zag, but I still make forward progress. Even though I don’t move steadily forward like the little snail, I do move forward; I do make progress. This encourages me.
What about you? Do you make steady spiritual progress like the snail? Or, like me, do you hop about and make your way forward in an erratic path? Do you take two steps forward and one step back? How have you made progress in your spiritual walk?
Growing Our Faith Together 