The Discarded Image

Disclaimer: Lest you should think this is to be a discourse on CS Lewis, you are free to lay those fears (or anticipations!) to rest.

Someone once said that "we don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."

In church right now, our primary object of study in Sunday school over the next few weeks is the attributes of God. It's been an interesting study, but something struck me the other day that really tied in with a lot of different changes in my life.

Last Sunday's lesson was over change. God, is as a matter of course, unchangeable. Immutable. He has to be, right? Of course, and at that point, I immediately reached back into childhood and pulled out the verse "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."

So where's the big deal?

I think my mind must have wandered during the lesson just a wee bit. Even so, it felt as though God brought several little things to mind that all culminated into one solid thought: I am only as solid as my God is.

Anyone who dares say that God is not logical has another thing coming.

The process He took me through, though, was intriguing.

First, He reminded me of how active I am; both on the job and at home and everywhere in between. I never really know what to expect from day to day and things go so fast...in fact, if anyone can tell me what happened to last fall, I'd be greatly appreciative.

In a world that involves constant change as part of its very nature, it's easy to get caught up and behind in the day-to-day whirlwind that envelopes so much of what I do. But my train of thought was picking up speed and moving on. I'm not sure why the next verse came to mind, but Romans 12:2 was apparently the next scheduled stop:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Skeptically, I remember thinking that this has got to be one of the most impractical commands in Scripture. Sure, it's acceptable when referring to things like retaining modesty and purity, but I'm just as busy as the rest of the world. There's a way to get around that? Right.

Well, physically busy, but who says you can't be at rest and busy at the same time? Whoops... here comes Scripture again:

Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength...

-Isaiah 26: 3-4

When my mind is on God, or when I am focused, wait...geometry... focused = centered! So when I am centered on God, I have perfect peace.

What I realized was that it's the very fact that God does not change that gives me the capability to remain rested, alert, and focused in a world full of chaos and constant change.

The key, though, is the word focused.

On Valentine's Day, all the world loves a lover. But for me, this Valentine's is a bit different.

Rather than being so focused on who I am and who is not with me on a day where a dozen roses are to be had at any gas station and chocolates come in all shapes and sizes, I realize that in His infinite loving-kindness, God has provided me with yet another day to say with a smile that life is beautiful.
To be focused on God is to be unchanged and unrattled by the changes that take place around you.

A discarded image? Oh definitely.

My image of Valentine's Day, I think, has been completely discarded.

You see, when I view the world through the eyes of God, my whole perception changes.

So rather than seeing life as a continuous stream of tasks to be completed, projects to be started, or emotions to be ignored, I see that God is always on time, all things are done unto the Lord, and that God "works all things for the good of them that love Him and are called according to his purpose."

And now, the voices of court cases to be summarized are becoming insistent, so I shall return to my small little bubble known as "Con-Law."

Happy Valentine's Day!