Exposed beyond the shadows
You take the cup from me
Your dirt removes my blindness
Your pain becomes my peace
If I was not so weak
If I was not so cold
If I was not so scared of being broken
Growing old
I would be
I would be
I would be
Frail...
Excerpt from the song Frail by the Jars of Clay
As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” Having said these things, He spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then He anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. John 9:1-7
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13
Opaque: “hard to understand or explain” Merriam-Webster Dictionary
The strength in Jesus is not found in power. It’s not found in authority. It’s not found in influence. It’s found in humility. That humility bows our knee to His authority. It instills in us a desire to serve. It removes our pride. However, the strength found in humbly serving Jesus does not humiliate. It does not make us timid. It does not weaken our confidence. There are things we are not meant to understand fully. Not yet, at least. Things that confound the wisest and confuse the knowledgeable. Those things are covered in a faith bolstered by what we can see. A faith founded on evidence that cannot be denied. Every year science books are edited for accuracy to stay relevant. The Bible has never been corrected, yet remains perfectly relevant in its entirety. The intricacies of creation demand a designer. Just as do the windings of a watch. And the love felt from the Spirit is an undeniable experience, greater than any love we can experience in humanity. Nothing can bring us to our knees, cause us to worship, or bring tears to our eyes, like the experience of God. It’s a multi-faceted experience. Our faith is built on the foundation of three. There is power in three. A stool could not stand without at least three legs. Pyramids gain their strength from three. And our government builds trust through its three branches. So it is with God. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. John starts his Gospel with this verse, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He went on to say, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen His glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1;14 There is power in three. However, a structure requires four. That fourth part is you and I. There’s a confidence in knowing that. Confidence that doesn’t come from anywhere else. No, it’s not the only confidence we can have. But it’s confidence unlike any other. Knowing that we are part of the plan. That we have a purpose for our Creator. For the Word. For the Spirit. For God! They are one, and we can be one with Him as well. Is that confusing? Yes. What exactly does it look like? I don’t know. What I do know is this. Without it, we are frail. One day the opaqueness and the blindness will be washed away. We will see fully. However, even now we can see glimpses. How? Through love. The love of Jesus, and the love we have for Him. No relational bond can be explained without love. So it is with God. His love is the light of this world. His love opens eyes. His love strengthens. Through His love we can be healed. We can be made new. We can be given sight. “Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105
Daily Journaling Questions:
How did I help someone in kindness today?
What did I learn today?
What am I thankful for?
Who did I love today?
What am I dreaming of?
What about today do I want to remember forever?
What are my goals for tomorrow?
Thanks for reading,
Jake
YOU ARE READING
Daily Self Growth Journal Pt. IV
Non-FictionThis is the fourth part of a project called the "Daily Self Growth Journal." Its purpose is to prompt readers to journal through encouragement, motivation, and inspiration. In it, the first thing I do is provide a motivational, or inspirational qu...
