Tuesday, June 19, 2007

our eyes are fixed on you

There is an expression in Scripture, when in trouble and not knowing what they as God's people should do, that their eyes were fixed on God.

How often are we in those places in which we don't know what to do? We're at a loss, or we don't know precisely the best direction to take. These are special times of seeking God's face for his blessing in directing us on his way for us.

As we seek to fix our eyes on God, and learn better to do so, we can become transfixed, then transfigured, in other words, changed. And we will be changed by this gaze, if we'll only persist in it.

How do we do this? By meditation on Scripture, by contemplation of God's glory in Christ and as revealed in Scripture and seen in life. Seeking to do this through the dark places, of which there are not a few, and in all of life. Do we see everything with Christ as the Mediator, Christ between us and all else, and therefore finding something of God in all our views and perspectives?

This fixation doesn't ordinarily come easy to most, until we realize through the pressures of life that this is what we need when we know that we can't make it- the narrow way God has called us to in Jesus- on our own. And we do need to do this together, in special times along with encouraging each other in this.

Can you add a story here, or thoughts for us that can help?

3 comments:

Ted M. Gossard said...

We had what was in my estimation a good chapel today, in helping us fix our eyes of God in Jesus Christ. And I've been able to meditate through part of Romans this morning as well.

So while I hardly see myself as transfixed, I can say that God is helping me towards fixing my eyes on Jesus, and on God through Jesus Christ.

L.L. Barkat said...

I particularly like to reread the gospels from time to time, to remind myself of who this Jesus really is that I am trying to gaze upon.

Ted M. Gossard said...

L.L., Ah, yeah, the gospels! They've become so much more important to me over the last several years, and seem to make my reading of the letters of Paul, and other letters more precious and powerful, I think.

But yes, I so much agree we need to keep going back to the gospels to keep trying to better understand God's revelation of himself to us in Jesus.

I also have benefited from reading those who study the times of Jesus and Paul, such as N.T. Wright. Helps one see more what was going on in all Jesus was doing then.