It was a cold cold bike ride this evening; cold for Tennessee, at least. Maybe folks in Minneapolis jump on their bike in 24-degree wind chill all the time, but I didn’t see another cyclist on the roads of Franklin today.
It was worth it though, just for the sunset: light blue, and turquoise and pink.I know that may sound like the colors of an album cover from the ‘80’s, but painted across the sky, those same hues were timeless. A hawk flew overhead and I wondered what it would feel like to take flight and actually be in that sky. Who doesn’t want to touch the sky; to soar with the eagles (or hawks, as the case may be); especially while it’s ablaze in twilight wonder?
Over the course of this evening’s 15-mile ride I cut back and forth across a small meandering tree-lined river and at one point I crossed a bridge where the water flows west. I looked down into the peaceful stream below and was surprised by the breathtaking reflection of the sky above. And seeing the heavens in that water, I had this silly fleeting thought of diving in.
Well all I would have gotten for getting in that water would have been cold (and I was already cold enough) and wet (even worse). Of course the glory of the sky I beheld in the smooth, quiet water was just a reflection of the actual sky itself.
Like that dark stream, reflecting the glory of the brilliant sky above, we were made to reflect the glory of God. We were made in his image. But that is all we are: a reflection of God. Not God.
So when we look to other flawed humans like ourselves to fill us, complete us, even save us, we will be let down. We dive into the river of politics only to wind up all wet. The person we elected did not save us. We nurse disappointment for the times our loved ones let us down. They did not fill us. They even emptied us in ways. Our hearts grow cold.
Then we look for that special someone; a knight in shining armor (or a princess in shining amore). And they look so beautiful, so perfect, just like that river. And we dive in, ready to soar.
Instead of flying though we find ourselves struggling to keep our head above water.
Your God made you for himself and himself alone. Even if He has a life-giving, life-long mate in your future, HE will love you through that person. HE will bless you through that person. And in the end HE must get the glory for the beauty of your relationship.
Life is often beautiful, but cold. Just like today. God knows you need companionship, fellowship, encouragement, but he is your need supplier. So stop gazing at reflections. Go to him. Run to him. Reach for him. He’s close to the brokenhearted. Indeed, he’s all around you. You don’t have to fly to touch the sky. The sky reaches all the way down to the earth to touch you. Like it did me today.
