From Concentrate

"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in Heaven." (Matthew 18:10)

Jesus speaks here of angels whose assignments (i.e. the children) are so pure as to not need any impetus for worship. Either on the part of the angels or the part of the child. It would seem as we grow that life becomes harder, both for us and for the angels assigned to protect us. The simple answer then, is to keep one's face to the Father. How simple an answer thrown in to the hustle and bustle and torment of much of everyday life.

What we look at determines who we become like. It's not practical to moon into the mirror for hours on end because you end in tiring of what you see. God's not like that. I always found it intriguing and amazing the actions of the angels the closer they get to the throne. The one in Isaiah--with six wings no less--"with twain covered his face" (Isaiah 6:2) denoting reverence and humility. Contrast this with the "four beasts" (?) in Revelation (4:8) who, all they do is say "holy, holy, holy" night and day. What is it they see that we don't? God knows.

A thousand words

"But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." (James 1:22-24)

I believe God wants us to like what we see in the mirror. But I can guarantee you that unless you know what you look like on the inside (a simple and cliched statement that is more profound that it sounds), you won't truly see yourself--all of yourself. All of the talk of "who we are in Christ" is valid. It's important and vital to understand that we are an "overcomer" (see John 16:33). The "righteousness of God" in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21). That we are a child of God by virtue of Jesus having died for our sin (and sins) and risen. There are no "buts" after these statements. But going forward, when you, as James continues on to prescribe, "[look] into the perfect law of liberty, and [continue] therein" (1:25), you will vault from the former aspects of Christlike character and into who you truly are in God. That individual formed out of a literal piece of God's heart. It's all over then.

Way, shape, form

"Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:31-32)

Here's the thing. Words give form to invisible qualities. Our bodies give shape to whatever it is we're carrying around on the inside. But with the words of God, they literally describe who you are--invisibly. It might sound esoteric and weird but it's also called ekphrasis. God has spoken Jesus into the world and He's done the same to you. All of us are broken down to some degree and in some way, shape, or form. And it's those words from the heart of God that will form you into you. Plain and simple. To where you become so comfortable in your skin that you couldn't care less about how you looked on the outside. Odd as this might sound, I'd have to say it's in line with how Adam and Eve would be naked unbeknownst to one another.

 

Breaking and Entering

Part and Parcel (Next Day Air part 4)