Face To Face

I love chatting to people, but there is nothing quite like talking face to face.  I often find myself saying, "I haven't seen you in ages!" even if I have spoken to someone on the phone recently, or have been texting or emailing them.

 

There is something about seeing someone face to face.

 

When we are face to face with someone, we can see their reactions.  We can read their thoughts and see their emotions.  We can hear the pauses in their conversation and the changing tone in their voices.  There is something different about being close enough to someone to look into their eyes.

 

It creates intimacy and allows for authenticity.  It's harder to pretend you're fine when someone can look into your eyes and see that you're not.

 

The Bible says that Moses enjoyed this privilege in speaking to God face to face:

"The Lord would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend."

[Exodus 33:11 NIV]

 

Often we can feel as though we couldn't look God in the face, because we are too sinful or ashamed or guilty.  We think that if He looked into our eyes, He would be disappointed.  But through Jesus, we can have a close and intimate relationship with God. 

 

We can talk to Him face to face.

 

Paul describes this beautifully in his letter to the Corinthians:

 

"God said, 'Light up the darkness!' and our lives filled up with light as we saw and understood God in the face of Christ, all bright and beautiful."

 

[2 Corinthians 4:6 MSG]

 

We see God's love for us when we gaze into the face of Christ. But we have to choose to spend time with Him, talking face to face.

 

And as we look into the face of Christ, we see and understand that God is not disappointed in us, or ashamed of us.  He is delighted in us and rejoices over us.

 

 

 

 

Blurred Vision

What a beautiful, sunny Autumnal day.

Clear blue skies, a crisp breeze and bright, warming sunshine.

Annoyingly, I've had something on my sunglasses all day.  A blurry spot which has made the vision in my right eye really hazy and fuzzy.

I haven't been able to remove it, despite repeatedly rubbing it and trying to clean the lens.

I could still see, but not perfectly.

It reminded me of Jesus' message about judging other people:

"Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying to your friend, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye."

[Matthew 7:2-5 NLT]

When our own vision is blurred or distorted in some way, it prevents us from seeing things as they really are.  It prevents us from seeing ourselves or others as they really are.  And it prevents us from seeing God as He really is.

Jesus says until we get our own vision sorted, we won't be able to help or lead others.   I don't think that means that we have to be perfect before we can help others to see, but we need to be aware of our own areas of blindness.   We need to acknowledge our own short-sightedness and our need for help with our vision.

Only then will we be able to see properly.  Only then will we see things as they really are.