A Sharper Image

Psalm 143:10 -- "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground." 

 

Steven still dates me.  It's true.  Married for sixteen years this year, the first words out of his mouth every morning are still "I Love You". When he comes home for lunch he tells me how beautiful he thinks I am, [even if I'm elbow deep in the toilet, cleaning the house]. The other day he told me that he couldn't imagine life without me in it.  And yes,  he is one of the precious few amazing men that still date their wives after sixteen years and two kids. [I AM the luckiest woman alive, I know!]

One of our favorite dates is to hike out into the Florida Suburban Wild and go crazy with the camera.  We are both shutter bugs.  Lately, I find that more and more often, I'll take what seems to be this amazing, prize-winning photograph only to get home, upload my treasures onto the computer and discover the shot is not in focus.  It's not the camera [I got a new one for Christmas]. It's the photographer.  Yup, I have reached that magical age that finds me saying "pardon me?" a little more often and in need of new glasses -- bi-focals.  My earth-shattering photos don't come out because I can't tell if the camera is in focus.  I have such a hard time adjusting from what I see beyond the camera lens to the image THROUGH it, that I often click the shutter when additional focus is needed. I am in need of a sharper image.

There are times in my spiritual journey, that I am also in need of sharper image.

We head through life with so many personal filters that sometimes it's a little bit tricky clearly discerning the one voice that is the most important.  I love Psalms for this!  You see, a long time ago I was convicted to pray using the language that God uses when He speaks to us....I pray scripture.  One of the verses in my prayer box under the heading "Supplication" is Psalm 143:10. "...may your good Spirit lead me on level ground."

As I sit down every morning for my morning cup of Joe and my Daily Bread, I pray that the Lord fill me with his Holy Spirit so that my personal filters are turned off -- giving me a sharper image of what God may want me to see. I DO, occasionally, have to don the spiritual bi-focals and read the verse again to get a clearer understanding and to hear more accurately the instructions God has for me. The beautiful thing is....God has provided us with what we need to get a clear picture from Him...his living, breathing Word....fit for all ages and all seasons of life.

In Psalms, you can even discover finer adjustment to focus our spiritual lenses in chapter 119: 34-35 -- "Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.  Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight."

Using the tools God has given us - we really do have what we need to fine tune our lenses, to hear his voice crisply and cleanly...go ahead....don't' be shy.  Grab your bi-focals or your readers, slide them on the end of your nose and get a sharper image.  Revel in the detail and the beauty of the path through which God is leading you.  You might be surprised.

After handing me my new specks during a visit to my eye doctor a while back, the doctor adjusted the lenses to my face and said "You'll be so surprised.  The trees will have leaves again."

Wow....I had no idea how much I really wasn't seeing. I love the sharper image!