Taking Flight

2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit.

I marvel at the idea of an unveiled face. I wash my face, brush my teeth,  apply my moisturizer, sunscreen and head out the door. Seldom pausing to consider the amazing me God created in His image. We are each walking miracles. Beloved. Daughters and sons of the living God, our creator. 

To imagine that we are being transformed into His image! I pray people first notice the pieces of me  that are becoming more and more like Him – not the ones dragging my feet!

I am mesmerized by this picture. The sun was shining so bright at high noon – too bright for a good picture. But the best part of it is the point where the feet are still connected to the water. 

I’m pretty sure I look like this many days – dragging my feet. Half way in and half way out. 

Only when I am courageous enough to launch with that God provided energy will I rise to the place where I can clearly see the reflection in the mirror that He sees when He looks at me. 

But let me tell you there have been many days when I felt a downward pull that was keeping me from rising. There was a time when I almost believed I would be permanently frozen half in and half out.

One thing after another kept coming – wave after wave – never letting up. Full of much more energy than I had ever known. 

Gradually pieces of what I had learned about God in the past began to come together. I began testing the principles I had grown up with. I made a list.

• can I trust God? so many trusts have been broken in my life.
• does He really love me like He says He does? I don’t feel lovable.
• I’m only one in billions of souls that have walked this earth – why should He care about me?
• what do I do about all the junk in my life?
• why me Lord? why do you care? – that was a big one for me – made the list twice!!!
• question after question and I never sensed I was being ignored

This list was just the beginning but it began revealing how I had put my trust, faith and hope in people. That is where the breakdown began.

In the beginning, tiny little pieces of God began appearing. Pieces that offered hope. Maybe a random text from someone telling me they were thinking of me. A random meeting someone in the grocery store I hadn’t seen for awhile. Often I read something that hit home – the author connecting to my quest for answers. Sermons would reveal a clue to the questions I sought answers to.

The common thread weaving its way through each of these events – God. 

And though the journey has been troubled, long and exhausting, I have learned that God is where I need to place my expectations. My hope. My trust. My love. And when I have done that – the changes began to occur. 

The biggest change of all – me. All this pile of junk began to have less power over me. I began to expectantly see Him in my day to day and in every waking moment in the darkest nights.

That part of me that wants to stay connected to the earthly is fading and the clarity I experience rising toward God amazes me.

Like the egret, my feet are coming out of the water, taking flight and rising, as my reflection in the mirror is becoming more like Him. 

Rising with you,

Janet