Closer Today Than Yesterday: Was blind but now I see

Monday, September 29, 2008

Was blind but now I see

So many times when I read God's Holy Word, much of myself is revealed in the light of His glory. I often wonder if it is the same with other believers in that The Bible seems to be written to each individual. I know that's the Holy Spirit's "job" to apply the truth of God's Word to each life but nevertheless, it is a great mystery to me.

This morning is no exception. I open the Word and gain new insight and understanding of myself. Today, I read...

2 Corinthians 3:16 (NIV)

But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.

I remember that veil. It covered my eyes and shrouded my heart. It was that veil which prevented me from understanding The Bible or God's promises for many years. Though I was no ruler of earthly kingdoms, I was like Pharoah whose heart was hardened. I could not understand and the reason I could not understand is because I had not turned to the Lord.

My pursuit was of worldly things and my back was to The Lord. Though I heard of Him I could not understand for my focus was on other things and I did not give my attention to The Lord.

Though I eschewed The Lord, He was faithful, persistent and patient. And when I at last turned to the Lord, indeed, the veil was taken away. I was blind but now I see.

If you sit in church and wonder why the sermon doesn't speak to you; if you stand with the congregation and even sing the words to the songs and your heart is yet not moved; if you look upon the world with longing and if you look upon the people of the world and feel no compassion then know that the veil covering your heart is not yet removed.

Know too that until you turn to the Lord, till you seek Him, His Kingdom and His Righteousness, that veil will continue to cover you. And in fact, if you finish this life in such a condition, that veil will be your funeral shroud.

But despite all that came before, if you turn to Him, that same veil will be removed and the great gift that it obscures will be clear to you.

In this moment, my mind is filled with a wedding scene. The bride stands at the altar, her face covered by a veil. Though she is in the middle of the ceremony, the details are obscured by that veil. Having readied herself, she turns towards the bride-groom with anticipation. The bride-groom reaches out and removes the veil. Suddenly, she sees her husband for the first time. Her beauty is fully revealed and a great mystery is realized. That's the same way it is with us.

We present ourselves at the altar of God in anticipation. We turn to Him and it is our bride-groom Jesus that removes the veil that we may see; that we may rejoice; that we may gaze upon His visage; that our beauty may be revealed and that we may become one with Christ Jesus.

"... whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away."

Peace,
Carl

1 comment:

Bill said...: Well, Carl ... forgive my tardiness in replying here. I've been caught up in pre-travel preps etc. But now, in jet-lagged timing here in HI, let me comment on this devotional entry about the veil being lifted for the Christian.

And oh how I remember the difference of my veil-covered density before I became a Christian; and now as I see the world (and my Savior) with the veil lifted. Oh, as you pointed out, there are times when my selfishness brings the veil down over my eyes; but God's prevenient grace, does not allow that to happen as it did before He came into my heart.

And I may not have the same clarity on truth as someone like you, whom I believe has the Spirit-given gift of prophesy. However, I can see truth now so much more clearly than I did before I was born again. And my pursuit to see our Lord through His word and finding His will, shows me that "the veil" of truth and light has been lifted for me.

Thanks for this wonderful insights into that reality ... <'BB><; October 4, 2008 at 7:40 AM

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So I Stand Near The Gate

I read the below poem at a critical point in my life and it's message resonated with me. My ministry, "Near The Gate" was named in homage to this poem. When reading this poem, feel free to substitute the word 'gate' for the word 'door' and you'll have a little glimpse inside my head.

SO I STAY NEAR THE DOOR

By the Reverend Canon Samuel Moor Shoemaker, Jr., D.D., S.T.D.

I stay near the door.
I neither go too far in, nor stay too far out,
The door is the most important door in the world–
It is the door through which men walk when they find God.
There’s no use my going way inside, and staying there,
When so many are still outside, and they, as much as I,
Crave to know where the door is.
And all that so many ever find
Is only the wall where a door ought to be.
They creep along the wall like blind men,
With outstretched, groping hands,
Feeling for a door, knowing there must be a door,
Yet they never find it - - -
So I stay near the door.
The most tremendous thing in the world
Is for men to find that door–the door to God.
The most important thing any man can do
Is to take hold of one of those blind, groping hands,
And put it on the latch–the latch that only clicks
And opens to the man’s own touch.
Men die outside that door, as starving beggars die
On cold nights in cruel cities in the dead of winter–
Die for want of what is within their grasp.
They live, on the other side of it–because they have found it.
Nothing else matters compared to helping them find it,
And open it, and walk in, and find Him - - -
So I stay near the door.
Go in, great saints, go all the way in–
Go way down into the cavernous cellars,
And way up into the spacious attics–
It is a vast, roomy house, this house where God is.
Go into the deepest of hidden casements,
Of withdrawal, of silence, or sainthood.
Some must inhabit those inner rooms,
And know the depths and heights of God,
And call outside to the rest of us how wonderful it is.
Sometimes I take a deeper look in,
Sometimes venture a little farther;
But my place seems closer to the opening - - -
So I stay near the door.
There is another reason why I stay there.
Some people get part way in and become afraid
Lest God and the zeal of His house devour them;
For God is so very great, and asks all of us.
And these people feel a cosmic claustrophobia.
And want to get out. "Let me out!" they cry.
And the people way inside only terrify them more.
Somebody must be by the door to tell them that they are spoiled
For the old life, they have seen too much;
Once taste God, and nothing but God will do any more.
Somebody must be watching for the frightened
Who seek to sneak out just where they came in,
To tell them how much better it is inside.
The people too far in do not see how near these are
To leaving–preoccupied with the wonder of it all.
Somebody must watch for those who have entered the door,
But would like to run away. So for them too,
I stay near the door.
I admire the people who go way in.
But I wish they would not forget how it was
Before they got in. Then they would be able to help
The people who have not yet even found the door,
Or the people who want to run away again from God.
You can go in too deeply, and stay too long,
And forget the people outside the door.
As for me, I shall take my old accustomed place,
Near enough to God to hear Him, and know He is there,
But not so far from men as not to hear them,
And remember they are there, too.
Where? Outside the door–
Thousands of them, millions of them.
But–more important for me–
One of them, two of them, ten of them,
Whose hands I am intended to put on the latch.
For those I shall stay by the door and wait
For those who seek it.
"I had rather be a door-keeper . . . "
So I stay near the door

Closer Today Than Yesterday

Monday, September 29, 2008

Was blind but now I see

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Monday, September 29, 2008

Was blind but now I see

1 comment:

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