“A Glance and a Gaze"

The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…

 "To Glance, To Gaze"

    

     Scripture teaches that "the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."  It also declares that "the whole world lieth in wickedness" (Psalm 33:5; I John 5:19).  So which is it?

    Both, of course.  Good and evil presently coexist in God's creation.  Thus, the more pertinent question: which is greater, the Lord's earth-filling goodness, or the world's pervasive evil?  The Biblical answer is obvious.  "God.. worketh all things after the counsel of His own will" (Ephesians 1:3; 11).  Without minimizing the  fact and consequences of evil, our Lord calls His trusting children to serve as heralds of hope, peace, joy, and wonder to all who will hear the message of God's presence and involvement of goodness.  "Charity (love) hopeth all things" (I Corinthians 13:7).

   We will either focus on the good or the evil in this day.  Such a gaze determines our countenance, attitude, words, actions, and relationship with God and people.  Walking with our Lord directs our focus to His presence, involvement, and working, which empowers our Christ-enabled capacity to "shine as lights in the world" (Philippians 2:15).  We do not deny the fact and effect of evil, and certainly seek to warn those who turn away from God and His truth.  Our primary gaze, however, remains on the redeeming God who reveals "wonders without number" to all whose dazzled hearts join the prophet in His joyous affirmation: "How great is His goodness, and how great is His beauty!" (Job 9:10; Zechariah 9:17).

   If we are not gazing on the glory of the Lord as we view a world that teems with Christ, the eyes of our heart are not as open as they should be.  "I will look for Him" declared Isaiah (Isaiah 8:17).  Our brother of old well knew and suffered the consequences of a world full of evil.  However, he focused on the greater truth and reality of God abundantly present and active in His world.  We glance at the darkness and deal with it as we must.  But we gaze on the Lord and rejoice in Him when the truth of the Bible, the leading of the Spirit, and the encouragement of fellow believers leads us to direct our eyes and our hearts to glories unimaginable and a Christ who displays His sublime presence to all who look for Him.

"And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha."

 (II Kings 6:15-17).

Weekly Memory Verse

   Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ.

(Ephesians 1:3)

  

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