Wednesday’s Word

Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power...

Things Aren’t Always As They Seem!

1^st Corinthians 13:12: “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”

Thank you for stopping by for our Coffee Hour @ Chicklit Power and Wednesday’s Word! I never tire sharing from my heart to yours! Words of Wisdom and Weapons of Warfare are what we need to use instead of assumptions! Grab your coffee and your strand of faith and let’s go tie some knots to make us stronger!J

Have you ever acted, or reacted based on an assumption that you found out after the fact was wrong? Isn’t that just the worst? Talk about a huge piece of humble pie. The examples are almost countless. I remember when I was nearly drowning in my insecurities; whenever I would first come around a group of people who I was seeking approval and acceptance from, I just knew that when I walked in the room and they stopped talking, it was because they had been talking about me … and it had to of been all negative!

Or have you ever thought you were well-schooled in a particular subject only to discover you were more un-learned? I could go on and on with examples, and maybe you can share on of yours with me, but for the sake of time let’s keep going.

Now the words preceding this particular verse are actually speaking about our giftedness that we use in and out of the Church, i.e., wisdom, knowledge -- and there is a difference but that’s for a different blog! – faith, gifts of healing … all from the Spirit and then Paul goes on to talk about the greatest gift over all is love/charity.  He is also telling us in the preceding verses that our giftedness isn’t perfected until the Perfect One comes. So he’s comparing now to then, meaning present to what is to come. Our gifts are to be used for His glory until His glory comes! In other words, our gifts are but a candle whose flame will be lost in the Rising Son when He comes.

Maybe I’m speaking just to myself about this interpretation because of what is going on in my life, especially in a particular situation where I’m left with only assumptions due to a loss of contact and I dare not act on those assumptions especially after researching this! When I did a little research, I came across my first commentary I ever used when I began to actually dig and study in the Bible: Matthew John Henry Commentary. I wanted to share his commentary on this portion of scripture and I hope it speaks to your heart as it continues to speak to mine:

“Things are all dark and confused now, in comparison of what they will be hereafter: Now we see through a glass darkly (en ainigmati, in a riddle), then face to face; now we know in part, but then we shall know as we are known.”

He begins to explain it here:  “Now we can only discern things at a great distance, as through a telescope”…   So what if we were to not act on things that we can only discern from a distance? Would there be less reacting? It’s kind of analogous to reading without your glasses; you are not as equipped and your understanding is somewhat blurry as you try and make out the words, but when you put your glasses on, voila! You not only see, but because you have a better picture, understanding brightens the picture and things are less obscure.

Matthew John Henry continues his commentary:  “But hereafter the things to be known will be near and obvious, open to our eyes; and our knowledge will be free from all obscurity and error.”

See, that says that there will be some things that we just don’t get to understand … until He says so! And that mean until we meet Him face to face! So all we can do is “faithe” – rhymes with bathe – through them, trusting Him instead of leaning on our own understanding, which should prevent us from reacting based on our assumptions, a mistake that is often damaging to not only the one making it but all parties involved!

Here’s a powerful truth that makes what is not understood much less important: God is to be seen face to face! So really, when I think about it, that which seems to be one way, or they that seem to be a particular way, based on my assumptions and what I am able to see or hear, will not be important in comparison to seeing Him face to face!

And here’s a point to ponder that He gave me for us: Oftentimes, those things that are based on assumptions that grate on our nerves are what we see when we look in the mirror!

And here’s another truth that Matthew John Henry points out from this verse: “We are to know him as we are known by him; not indeed as perfectly, but in some sense in the same manner. We are known to Him by mere inspection; He turns His eye towards us, and sees and searches us throughout. We shall then fix our eye on Him, and see Him as He is, 1 John 3:2. We shall know how we are known!”

Whew, I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to be known for acting or reacting upon a bunch of assumptions, things that aren’t as they seem!

Oh, to fix the eyes of my heart  on that day when I will pass from unknowing to really knowing, from darkness to light, from clouds to pure “Sun” shine when I look in the mirror and see Him face to face!

Evinda