I’m thinking about all the things in this life that I so easily take for granted. There is so much beauty that surrounds me everyday from the moment I open my eyes until I lay my head down at night. The simple beauty of the light as it casts its shadow through the window leaves an imprint of shapes and patterns that are so pleasing to look at. Most days I barely notice them—distracted by technology driven information I descend into a digital world and miss so much of my physical surroundings.
How often do you stop and take in the beauty of this world? I think for most of us, this past year and half, has been a bit like living in a submarine—each of us in our individual pods, glued to a device connecting us remotely to a form of life but lacking the essence of it. Preached at by the pundits and “scientists” of the horrors outside our doors, many have either lost hope and live in a place of sunless grey and doom or have taken to the streets in rage and destruction.
But, this life is not a hopeless mess. Yes, there is disease and injustices but these are nothing new. The sun still rises and sets everyday in all its glory. The ocean ebbs and flows as it always has before. People still fall in love and babies are born and a new life begins.
There is so much to be thankful for and a thankful heart can turn the sunless grey into a warm amber ray of hope. When I take the time to observe my surroundings, both that which God has created in nature and in the people he has placed in my life, I am overwhelmed by the goodness that I see. I wish I had the power to refocus everyone’s eyes that they might see all the goodness in their lives too.
The world is a broken place but it is not a hopeless one. It’s time to come up out of that sunless pod and breath in the fresh air again. See the people in your life for the gifts they are and rejoice. Embrace this beautiful life again for all its worth! Turn off the pundits and the “scientists” and hug someone. All this isolation is bad for the soul and dividing our souls is its aim. Don’t listen to the lies about all that separates us as people. We have way more in common than they want us to believe. Refocus your eyes on the bigger picture. Let the light and shadows awaken your heart again.
“Your eye is like a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is healthy, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is unhealthy, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” Luke 11:34-36
“I am the light of the world. If you follow me you won’t have to walk in darkness.” John 8:12
“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.” James 1:17
”For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:6