Easter From His Perspective

It just now occurred to me my thighs are taut as a bowstring because of a little experiment I engaged in last night.  Inspired by a story recounted by Ann Voskamp, in One Thousand Gifts, I took a tour of my home on bended knee!!  I’ll preface telling you about my tour by first telling you about Ann’s story.  Her three year old asked to borrow her camera one day and happily skipped through the house laughing and snapping one picture after another.  Delighted, she returned to her Mom and said, “Can you show them back to me now?”  Her enchanting photos took Ann by surprise.  Everyday objects looked larger than life from her daughter’s vantage point. 

Glory Shine

Open My Eyes, Lord!

                    

Be Thou My Vision

This week I purposed to gain afresh God’s perspective on Easter.  While doing so, I realized that typically I seek His view “from above”.  I want to soar on wings like eagles, looking below to gain “big picture” understanding.  This seems to me the place of victorious living.  God on the other hand often desires to bless me with the view of a little child looking up!!  He understands awe-struck wonder (or tired indifference) depends largely on vantage point.  For this reason and to illustrate His point, God prompted me to bend low, camera to eye, snapping from new-fangled angles common objects and scenes in my home.   After doing so, He gently pulled me up into His great lap and offered to “show them back to me!!”  Some of the literal images are sprinkled throughout this post.  God built on this experience in a variety of ways, reinforcing that I need only to look up and receive with open hands all He has to give to me.  I need not worry about controlling anything in life, about understanding life’s complexities, for clutching reins or purse strings prohibits opening receptive hands to His gracious supply of all I need

.

Eyes of a Child

He is The Door

In retrospect, God packed the week leading up to Easter with lessons on perspective and vantage point.  He spoke to me as I watched two birds flying like friends side by side over green and amber fields.  He spoke and I heard, “Peace, be still,” through the picture He gave of the two of Us scouting (employment) fields for Us to harvest together.  He spoke to me concerning His mercy that endures forever, stooping to save and to serve.  His mercy in stark contrast to my not-so-merciful heart attitude, helped me bow lower to wait upon patients summoning me to their bedside repeatedly, affording me opportunity to exude His mercy.  And when I failed, His mercy covered me over and over and over.

Late this afternoon while driving on the access in a busy section of road under construction, I scanned for the entrance ramp to I-35 North.  I happened to look to my right and noticed three occupied crosses and a woman in biblical dress looking up in an attitude of worship.  I did a double-take as I drove past at 40 mph, wondering if these were mannequins or actors.  To come upon this scene staged on a major 21^st century highway in the blazing sun got my attention.  So much so, that I looped back around as soon as I could for another look (and perhaps a picture).  Just as I drew near the men climbed down from their crosses and put on contemporary clothing.  Several thoughts ran through my mind:  my Lord timed my passage this afternoon that I might “see Him” from this vantage point – dying for all the world to know His love for them.  At the same time I thought about the traffic moving swiftly by, and about the fact that Jesus no longer hangs upon a cross, but still offers life there to all who take up their cross and follow Him.

Candle in the Snow

All in all, I believe God granted me “His perspective” this Good Friday on dying in order to truly love and live, on bending low to see great and mighty things.  Lord, bless me with the eyes of a child looking up in wonder, for to such the kingdom belongs!!  

  

Eyes Raised in the Shadow,

Terry

For more inspirational reading visit Spiritual Sundays at www.bloggerspirit.blogspot.com