Looking Without Seeing

I am blessed to live in the most beautiful part of my state for fall color. In fact, it's been known to attract travelers from other states, especially when it used to peak around craft fair time.

But one of the drawbacks to living here is that I can become over-familiar. I can look without seeing - absorbed in what I have to "do" that day. I'm a task-oriented person, and so I can drive down a street thinking about what I am on my way to do, and completely miss the beauty unfolding around me. Like the introductory notes of a great symphony, I can easily overlook the greatness of the work.

Until - BAM! I wake up one morning and the colors are breathtaking. I wonder when they turned so beautiful - not realizing that I was missing it all along. At the crescendo I can no longer look without seeing. Invariably, I become focused on the beauty that was before me all the time. Those are the days I'm glad my husband drives to work, so I can enjoy the ride.

Unfortunately, it's not unlike that in my relationship with God. I am much more of a "Martha", one who can forget "the one thing that is needed". Walking with God, having friends in Christian circles, talking the church-talk, it can be easy to miss the beauty of what we have in Christ. It can be easy to take grace for granted and to forget that the One who lives in us is the One who appeared in the Shekinah glory in such power that the Israelites wanted Moses to go up for them.

We were discussing this at Bible study last week. After years in Bible study it can become easy to over-analyze the Word ... to take for granted what a privilege it is to encounter the Living Savior on the pages of Scripture. But while we could have a purely intellectual discussion of the Constitution, our study of Scripture should never be so detached.

I think that's one reason why God gives us experiences - they drive home the truth of Scripture in unforgettable ways, and make it come alive. That's what Peter, James, and John experienced when they alone saw the transfigured Christ on the mountaintop. Peter and John both spoke later of being "eyewitnesses" of His majesty - it was REAL to them. They saw the glory of God, and nothing about that was mundane.

I don't ever want to be over-familiar with God's presence in my life, with His grace, with HIM. I want to quit looking without seeing - and open my eyes so that, like Peter, James, and John, I can become an eyewitness of His majesty. Then I want to spend my life pointing it out to others!

For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16)