Mirrors

The other night at our weekly Bible study, a friend related a memory he had of how he'd been profoundly affected many years ago by the musical "Godspell." Godspell opened off-Broadway in May of 1971, and has since been produced by multiple touring companies and in many revivals. Our friend particularly recalled how some of the lyrics of the song "Day By Day" had positively influenced his faith at that time.

"Day by day, day by day.

Oh dear Lord, three things I pray:

To see thee more clearly

Love thee more dearly

Follow thee more nearly

Day by day..."

Today I'm pondering on those words, "To see thee more clearly." It's just that our "seeing" isn't so great.

Centuries ago, the bustling Bible city Corinth was a famous manufacturing center for mirrors made of polished metal. By gazing intently into the surface of one of these mirrors, one could get a general, yet vague, impression of how he looked. Reality was actually far off.

If we were to stay in a hotel nowadays that had one of those mirrors in our room, we'd likely call the front reception desk and irately request a quality replacement.

The apostle Paul talks talks to the Corinthian people about mirrors. "For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).

This is how we see God - dimly, as in an ancient mirror. Not clearly, as though peering into a modern mirror. Paul is saying that's what life is like for a Christian seeking to know and see God.

Let's face it, we are only catching the merest glimpse of the wonderful reality of our eternal Christ. Life on this side of heaven is only a clouded picture of the true reality yet to be.

Even so, I'll keep trying to see him more clearly.

The best I can.

Day by day.