Have You Seen My Glasses?
A story is told about a teenage boy who asked his parents for a car, for his birthday. So, on the big day, it was rather disappointing to him to find that his folks had got him a new Bible, with no car in sight. He was angry, and going to his room, he threw the box the Bible was in against the wall, leaving it to lie on the floor where it fell. Some time passed - days turning into weeks - until one day, the boy picked up the box to take a look at his birthday present. As he flipped open the cover of the Bible, he was amazed to find a key taped to the inside flap. Running to his parents’ room, he showed them what he found. They then told him where the car was that belonged to that key. Yes, this is most likely a fictional story, but I think it illustrates the point: God’s Word is the key to understanding all we have in Christ – and that we have all in Christ! The problem is that so often we are unaware of our spiritual resources in Jesus.
You’ve probably been approached by someone looking for their glasses, who is unknowingly sporting them on their head. You almost don’t want to tell them, but with a snicker you finally do. Looking into a mirror would have saved that person some embarrassment. The Bible is a mirror we can look into to see who we are in Christ, and all that we have available to us. We need not look anywhere else. If we are not looking, we assume that God has not given us all we need. When we do look, we find that our circumstances do not bar anything we have in Christ. The truth of what we have in him actually changes the way we handle the things we face in life.
In a German prison camp in World War II, unbeknownst to the guards, the Americans built a makeshift radio. One day news came that the German high command had surrendered, ending the war—a fact that, because of a communications breakdown, the German guards did not yet know. As word spread, a loud celebration broke out. For three days, the prisoners were hardly recognizable. They sang, waved at guards, laughed at the German shepherd dogs, and shared jokes over meals. On the fourth day, they awoke to find that all the Germans had fled, leaving the gates unlocked. The time of waiting had come to an end.* They knew the truth, and lived like it was true! That can be your story and mine. Believe God. Hold him to his word.
The Children of Israel had been delivered out of Egypt. They had crossed the parted Red Sea, and were now in the Promised Land, but the first thing they found was the bitter waters of Marah. They complained to Moses, but God solved their problem. The Lord showed Moses a tree. Moses then tore it up and threw it into Marah, and the water became drinkable – sweet. May the Lord keep pointing us to the tree – The Cross of Christ.
BJ
*Philip Yancey tells this story in an article published by Christianity Today.
You’ve probably been approached by someone looking for their glasses, who is unknowingly sporting them on their head. You almost don’t want to tell them, but with a snicker you finally do. Looking into a mirror would have saved that person some embarrassment. The Bible is a mirror we can look into to see who we are in Christ, and all that we have available to us. We need not look anywhere else. If we are not looking, we assume that God has not given us all we need. When we do look, we find that our circumstances do not bar anything we have in Christ. The truth of what we have in him actually changes the way we handle the things we face in life.
In a German prison camp in World War II, unbeknownst to the guards, the Americans built a makeshift radio. One day news came that the German high command had surrendered, ending the war—a fact that, because of a communications breakdown, the German guards did not yet know. As word spread, a loud celebration broke out. For three days, the prisoners were hardly recognizable. They sang, waved at guards, laughed at the German shepherd dogs, and shared jokes over meals. On the fourth day, they awoke to find that all the Germans had fled, leaving the gates unlocked. The time of waiting had come to an end.* They knew the truth, and lived like it was true! That can be your story and mine. Believe God. Hold him to his word.
The Children of Israel had been delivered out of Egypt. They had crossed the parted Red Sea, and were now in the Promised Land, but the first thing they found was the bitter waters of Marah. They complained to Moses, but God solved their problem. The Lord showed Moses a tree. Moses then tore it up and threw it into Marah, and the water became drinkable – sweet. May the Lord keep pointing us to the tree – The Cross of Christ.
BJ
*Philip Yancey tells this story in an article published by Christianity Today.
posted by BJ at 8:46 AM
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