Beholding and Becoming #1

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"Nearness to God brings likeness to God. 

The more you see God the more of God will be seen in you."

Charles Spurgeon

It's 1 AM and I cannot sleep. My mind has bobbled from restocking supplies in the children's Sunday school rooms at church; to changing out the summer clothes in my closet to those needed for fall; to praying over each of our 12 grandchildren and in-between tangents genuinely seeking to be near to God. So, instead of getting shut eye, here I am typing away ready to share about a new journey with Jesus I've embarked upon.

Artist and Christ follower, Ruth Chou Simons, has a book and study guide called Beholding and Becoming.  I will try to post some of what I am learning in the weeks.

Her introduction captivated me.

"A relatively short time ago, we didn't have an "online life."  Tweeting was for birds, posts for fences, and text required ink. The advent of mobile devices brought a fundamental shift in the way we engage with the world.  From the coffee shop to the subway, it isn't hard to find someone head-down with a cell phone.  We've been given so much to look at, but we are missing the art of beholding.  We are so captivated by our technology and all that it puts before our eyes that we overlook the ways that God displays His glory through creation, relationships and our ordinary circumstances in the day to day.  We look for dramatic ways to experience God, but His presence and transforming work in our lives happen minute by minute.

William Blake may have been the first to say, "We become what we behold," but the apostle Paul certainly defined true beholding and becoming for us who long to become like Christ:

And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.  2 Corinthians 3:18

What we are beholding is what we are becoming?  Hold onto Jesus.

The Song

"With Unveiled Faces" by Narrow Way

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froqObs1Vl4

While searching for a song related to unveiled faces I came across the acapella group Narrow Way.  While their voices are beautiful and many of their songs point to God, there is no reference to Jesus.  I messaged them asking if they are Christians or possibly Mormons. They replied, "Simply Christians." Made me think... are we clear in whom our allegiance lies?  Do we stand up for Jesus?






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