Look Closely.
Sometimes I walk through the day without looking closely.
I miss the evening violet sky when the trees turn the color of shadows—or my child’s smile in the midst of a lasagna face. I miss recognizing God’s blessings around me because I’m listening to the chatter in my own mind.
Maybe the blessing of this time is the gift to see life more closely. To pause and thank God for what we do have—who we have, even if it’s through ZOOM.
Some of the people in Israel during Jesus’s time missed looking closely. John the Baptist pointed to Jesus and cried out, “Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World!”
In other words, he was saying, “Look closely! This is the guy you’ve waited for as imaged in the Passover sedar!” (John 1:29, 36, Exodus 12).
But most religious leaders didn’t stop to consider Jesus fulfilling the prophesies found in the Old Testament (the Jewish ancient scrolls). These leaders stuck to their version of morning coffee, day at the office, and night-time Netflix—without taking a teachable look at the writings of the prophets they claimed to understand.
Instead of beholding, the religious leaders became the ones scolding. “Blasphemer!” They called Jesus. “Possessed by a demon!” (paraphrase mine. John 10:33, Matt. 12:24).
What If they would have stopped to behold Jesus?
If they chose to slow down and really consider Him—maybe they would have beheld the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world.
In a similar way, I wonder how we can behold God more fully.
How can we slow down to notice the tiny reminders of His goodness—like in the birds that choose to nest on the front porch or the spontaneous note in the mail from a friend?
Pause today and observe the goodness around you. And thank God for even the smallest gift of beauty you see.
Even the darkest days have glimmers of goodness. We see hope in the smallest beauty—like the sun shinning or a warm cup of cinnamon tea.
LET’S TALK: What is one thing good in your life today?
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Missed the series through the Gospel of John on Instagram? This one might encourage you: What does God have for you today?
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