San Diego Gardens

Ordinary Day?

Intrinsic beauty exists in all facets of God’s work. Just as I need to remember not to overlook the beauty He has surrounded me with; I should not overlook the opportunities of every moment. God has never overlooked the details of my life, not as my Creator, nor as my Savior. The smallest elements of creation are not void of beauty. It’s so easy to dream big and focus on those dreams, but results don’t come without embracing what has been entrusted to me today. It’s important to understand the importance of being faithful with little. (Matthew 25:14-30; Luke 19:11-27).

Personal Reminders:
Refresh your perspective.

See the work of God's hands all around.

See the opportunities that await and surround you.

See God work through you by embracing each moment.

God has never overlooked the details of my life, not as my Creator and not as my Savior. I It is not for me to neglect today's moments either.

Beautiful Release

The concept really makes sense. It’s not easy, but it makes sense. My personal struggle of letting go is evident in the majority of my posts as I battle with the concept. A couple days ago the realization began to free my overbearing analytical thoughts. How do we expect to hold His full power when our hands are so full with our own securities? We grasp so tightly while we call to God for His hand. We stumble like a child refusing to release a single treasured toy to take our Father’s outstretched hand. God reiterated this lesson to me this last week. I’ve been reading through I Samuel and as I read through the story of David and Goliath again I made special note of David turning down Saul’s battle gear. Great equipment, but it would have only weighed him down. What “security” is weighing us down? I read about the incident again in a book I just completed. So here I am with the lessons God is presenting me and realizing that the beauty of the moment can only be fully captured in if I pry my fingers from my own securities. We can only experience the day as God made it when we lay down everything we are carrying. This is the moment I’m given and it won’t return.

Just a few other challenging thoughts I crossed in my last reading (Life Wide Open, by David Jeremiah):

“From God’s point of view, the greatest waste in life is the gap between what you are and what you could be.”

“God has given us two promises: His presence and His power.”

“God is pleased to work not through ability but through availability.”

“Failure is one of life’s greatest teachers – or it certainly can be if we choose to learn from it rather than let it crush us.”

“Perfection is the goal, but it’s not the journey.”

Indescribable

Just after taking these shots I hit the road again for my last stretch of travel to Fort Wayne, Indiana. I was listening to Vicky Beeching's "Turn Your Eyes." I have always loved the original. As I drove the words struck a cord. Many times when I sing or hear the song I can picture all that's wrong with the world finally melting away. The thought is always an inspiration as I consider the negativity that is circulating every news worthy story today. The shape of our nation is haunting.

However, this moment was different. Taking these shots had carried my thoughts to the greatness of His creation. Hearing the words of the song as I continued driving by a grand cliff brought me to the realization that the even the beauty of this world will fade as we see His face. Nothing compares.

Beeching's version continues with lyrics that matched my already stirred thoughts:

Turn your eyes upon Jesus

Look full in His wonderful face

And the things of earth

Will grow strangely dim

In the light of His glory and grace

In the light of His glory and grace

Isn’t He beautiful?

Isn’t He beautiful?

Outshining sun and stars

It’s indescribable

How breathtaking You are

So I turn my eyes upon You now

Look full in Your wonderful face

And the things of earth

They grow strangely dim

In the light of Your glory and grace

In the light of Your glory and grace

You are so beautiful

You are so beautiful

Outshining sun and stars

It’s indescribable

How breathtaking You are

Indescribale is so fitting because there are often times I could never put in words the glory of what I see in a sunset, the stars, or nature. And, these are things I've experienced and seen with my eyes. I can't imagine trying to put into words His glory when His is beyond all of this. This is only His creation.