Just some thoughts on my mind, with help from last week's BSF lecture :)
How often do you look in the mirror? What do you see when you do? What things do you try to highlight? What things do you try to hide? What do you hope people see when they look at you? Are you really what you want people to see? Or do you want them to see something completely different? Why do you look in the mirror?
I look in the mirror constantly. When I get up in the morning to go to work, I dress myself and make sure my shirt is tucked in, my pants are zipped up (!), my hair is up nicely and my makeup is done. All of that involves standing in front of the mirror for 5-10 minutes, depending on how long I've overslept. Then, when I'm at work, I constantly check my reflection in windows or any reflective surfaces to make sure my hair still looks nice, I haven't sweated off my makeup, I haven't spilled anything on my shirt. I am always looking in the mirror to make sure I still look like what I want to be - which, if I were to be completely honest, what I want to be is desireable. Desireable as an employee, a server, someone you want to be around. Whatever the context, I usually want to look - and be - desireable.
But when I look into the mirror of God's Word, what do I see? Do I see a mature Christian, complete in Christ, a servant with whom He is well pleased? Do I see someone covered in His righteousness, made right before God, His beloved and treasured daughter? Hopefully I see all of those things - and more. God's Word as a mirror shows us in right standing before God through Christ's blood, but it also shows us the work we have yet to do. What we are rooted in will blossom on our lips - wise speech reveals minds that are fixed on Jesus. James 3 tells us that no man can tame the tongue, but with God's help, we can use it for His glory. Being consumed by God produces peace that comsumes our relationships - do you have any difficult relationships in your life? How will you ask God to produce peace in your relationships? Will you allow yourself to be consumed by God? We all experience God's amazing grace - but are you mistaking His grace for His approval of your actions, when in actuality He is waiting for you to grow up, to mature? I know I do this. How can I change, Lord? How can I continue to grow my faith in You?
Prayer is an excellent way to start. Wise prayer provides protection and removes doubt - what do your prayers look like? Are your prayers merely the words you sandwich between "Dear God" and "amen"? Too many of mine are. Do you praise God for who He is? Do you praise Him for His love, His faithfulness and mercies which are new every morning? His almighty power, His knowledge of everything, His perfect plan, His beautiful creation, His absolute and total goodness? Do you thank Him for the blessings He's given you? His financial and material provisions for you, the roof over your head and the food on your table and the clothes on your back, your job in this wretched economy, the resources for academic and spiritual education that are right under your nose any way you turn, the friends and family He's given you? The work He did on the cross on your behalf, sending His only Son Jesus Christ to die for your sins so that you could spend eternity with Him in heaven? How can you - how can I! - not thank God every day for these blessings? And these blessings are merely a drop in the ocean, the tip of the iceberg, of everything God has done for you and for me. Will you commit to pray and thank God every day? Will you pray for those who are in need, for those who don't know the Lord, those who are broken, abused, rejected, scorned, bullied? Those who need encouragement? Who need financial aid? Medical care? Protection of any kind? Nothing - absolutely nothing is too small to pray about. God cares for the tiniest of details - will you take those to Him too?
Will you look in the mirror and ask God to show you what He wants of you? What will you see the next time you look in the mirror?
