The Eye of a Photographer

 

My eyes catch a glimpse of little girls giggling playfully.

They dilly dally in the center of a wide open field,

and the sun shines on their bouncing blonde curls evanescently.

This moment captured would assure my mind a memory sealed.

So I reach for the tool I use to paint the words of stories.

I reach for my method of expression to seize the vision.

 I have discovered that the moments ebb and flow so swiftly.
Yet, there is a great accolade for moving on and forward.
There is great reward in seeing with eyes of fidelity.
There is promise in pressing toward the beauty that’s before.

Because just as soon as one captivating sight escapes you

a new will appear, longing to be seen with inspired eyes. 

In the fire

If Your desire is just for me to be lower and You to be higher,
If You require that I be taken through the fire
and if my soul is still Yours and You're still in control...

then I will subside and let You guide me.
I will humble my inner pride and confide in You.
I will no longer hide my heart from You.
I will trust in You.
I will follow You.
I will thank you in the fire, and pray that You may be lifted higher.

Who am I?

                “Why are they screaming? Why are the faces of some of them beaming? Why is He dressed in that bright purple robe? I’ll bet that crown hurts Him more than He shows.”

Who am I to know You? 

Who am I to be made holy? 

Who am I to be like You?

When all the while I am the doubter.  

I am the deceiver. 

I am the broken. 

I am the unfaithful. 

I am the ashamed. 

Who cast his lot for Your robes. 

I am the very man who spat in Your face. 

I am the centurion who pierced Your already bloody hands. 

                

Who am I to lead? 

Who am I to judge? 

Who am I to rebuke? 

Who am I to correct? 

Who am I to condemn? 

Who am I to be an example and a demonstration of Your love?

When all the while I am the very one who took Your infinite love and threw it on a cross. My iniquity, my failures, my idols, my doubts…they…I created the reason for You to give Your love. I created the idols, needing to be destroyed, needing a sacrifice to pay the price, to cancel my debt. 

I…created…that. 

                

So, who am I not to know You? 

Who am I to remain unholy? 

Who am I to remain a sinner, while you hung on a cross and became my Savior?
Who am I not to lead? 

Who am I not to correct my brothers? 

Who am I not to want to be an example? 

What an honor to be able to demonstrate Your love.

               

 Because  of Your death and return to everlasting life, I am free. 

Free to choose You. 

Free to believe in Your victory. 

Free to become pure and holy. 

Free to live for all of eternity. 

Free to be happy, for the entire world to see. 

Free to share the love poured out to the lost and searching. 

Free to know You in all Your glory.

Who am I not to love You?

and still You think of me...

The trust of a child has escaped my heart;
trust in anything apart from my Savior is in the dark.
The faith of a child has fled from my soul;
faith in anyone besides the One who lists my tears in His scroll.

When I am afraid, I will trust in You.
When I am betrayed, I find rest in You.
When I am dismayed, I am blessed by You.

Yet, You proclaimed over me,
"Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in Heaven."
You are watching over me with all of Your splendor and glory.
Resounding in the place You dwell,
and still You think of me?
In all of my unworthiness,
my continual repentance
and my need for Your acceptance,
You allow me to come to You in total dependence
as You prove Your unconditional, compelling and faithful love.

Pride---

"My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge." Psalm 62:7

what strength do we find in pride
how can we hide our shaky legs and the broken foundation beneath us
when the concrete being poured is our praise and our names adored
higher than the lives surrounding us
higher than the Savior who died for us

"...All of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble' (Prov. 3:34). Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." 1 Peter 5:5-6

these so called foundations and lies are deceiving us
forcing our hearts to receive the lie that we need to feed our raging appetites
that are screaming for just one bite of the apple
just a tiny little sample
enough to taste the bitter-sweet taste of the temporary satisfaction of instant gratification

can you feel the love in this
can you heal your wounded heart with this
or are you continuing to pick and peel back the scab
allowing your hidden wounds to become exposed to those infectious and disastrous lies

"He who speaks on his own does so to gain honor for himself, but he who works for the honor of the one who sent him is a man of truth; there is nothing false about him." John 7:18

oh please, see the need deep inside of you to become pure
and be sure that this is the cure and medicine for your wounds:

feeding your heart with the soothing and cleansing bread from The Word
and ignoring the discouragement and gossip you have heard
believing and striving to become pure is your only cure

oh please, realize that these human eyes can only emphasize the lies surrounding us
they consistently look over the prize that will be so much more glorious than any moment of pride that our hearts seek to linger in

I pray that your guilt and shame would be gone
that in this moment, your lips would begin to proclaim the name of Jesus
that his awesome power and fame would be the only thing that remains in your heart
oh, that you would see that-

underneath, in between, and deep within the cracks of your heart are sparks of love waiting to be a part of His heart

"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." Matthew 5:8