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Listen while you read: "Thy Way Not Mine O Lord"1
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My four-year-old granddaughter had a peculiar bedtime habit whenever she stayed here overnight. She'd soothe her fretful whimpers by clutching a photograph of her mother, which she borrowed from my bookshelf. This item was anything but cuddly. It was a wooden five-by-seven-inch plaque on which was mounted her mom's graduation picture.
Why would this preschooler prefer a hard, unyielding object rather than a soft, cuddly toy? Obviously, it's because the photo gave her comforting thoughts: Her mom would not abandon her. Her mom was coming back for her. With this vivid picture in her mind, the child could sleep peacefully while away from home.
Now, consider the spiritual parallel: As God's children, our earthly pilgrimage is also like an overnight stay. No matter how adventurous it is, we anticipate being home. Like the apostle Paul, we "would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord." (2 Corinthians 5:8b NIV) We, too, expect Someone to come and get us eventually. "We wait for the blessed hope — the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ." (Titus 2:13 NIV)
Somehow, we must keep this grand hope alive. We must "turn [our] eyes upon Jesus", as the familiar hymn declares, much like the little girl turned her mind upon her mother.
Let's be honest and ask: How are we doing at keeping our eyes turned upon Christ? What "photograph" comes to our mind when we try? Is it little more than a foggy blur? What should we expect to see, really?
To answer such profound questions, I tried to put myself into the mind of my little granddaughter. Really, how can a dusty old photograph have such power? What did she really see of her mom? It certainly wasn't her mom's graduation event; she never experienced that. Obviously, it was what she actually experienced of her mom day after day through their relationship. For four years, the child had experienced her mother's love, trustworthiness, attention, provision, protection, and much more. Even if the child couldn't express it, that's what she saw in her mother. Such a picture was powerful enough to settle her fears. Put bluntly, it's the relationship itself that gave power to the photograph.
Isn't that how it is with Christ? Oh, sure, we can be uplifted through plaques, rituals, hymns, even Scripture texts. But all of these have limited power apart from a genuine abiding relationship. Our assurance must be forged through the experience of Christ's presence in our lives. And then, when we turn our eyes upon Jesus, we'll see much more than a fog. We'll see Him for how we've come to know Him. And the better we know Him and grasp His love, the more powerful will be our mind's picture of Him — and the better it can sustain us during this earthly overnight stay. Thus, we each pray:
Prayer: Lord, help me personally to discover the enormity of Your love, that I may have a powerful "photograph" of You in my mind's eye. Amen.
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About the author:
Diane Eaton <dianeeaton6@gmail.com>
Paisley, Ontario, Canada
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So true, Diane.
Well said in today’s devotional, Diane. Thank you.
Thank you for sharing this encouraging devotional with us. Blessings.
A powerful devotional today, Diane!!
Thank you and God’s best to you!!
Thanks, Diane. This sentence says it all:
Our assurance must be forged through the experience of Christ’s presence in our lives.
Diane – what a powerful message you have shared. All the more precious to me, as I also have a granddaughter for sleepovers.
Thanks.
Thanks, Diane, for another of your special writings. Through your very descriptive words of your little granddaughter holding that picture I could truly visualize her. Yes, we need hold Jesus like that in our hearts and mind and be very thankful that He is ever there, caring for us. Blessings for your thoughtful writings.
Hi Diane,
What a striking image of a little four-year-old in bed clutching a hard plaque with a photo of her mother and reassuring herself that her mother would soon be with her again. It’s an image I won’t forget as I comfort myself with the fact that Jesus is always with me and will one day return to take me to my heavenly home.
Thank you!
This came after a session last night, of gleaning through family albums and packages of photos to find photos for an upcoming 50th slideshow, so your words fell on fertile ground!
I have been a member of Christ’s family for over 40 years and am still finding views of Him that expand and engage my faith. Too often, our churches tell the family history, leaving out the family relationship. We need Family Albums!
Much gratitude for your timely message, dear “sister” Diane!
(the other side of Canada!)
Good morning, Diane,
I feel you look at situations in very unique ways.
You relate the good feelings your little granddaughter has of her mom and that is where the comfort comes, from not a picture in a hard picture frame. You ask us to think about our picture of Jesus and what feelings that brings to our minds. If we have a powerful photograph of Jesus in our mind, how great that might sustain us while here on earth.
This is definitely something to mull over as we go about our day. I don’t actually picture Jesus like a photograph. He is more like a shining light. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this idea. Blessings.
Dear Diane,
As I was reading your devotional I thought: This sounds like Diane Eaton’s.
Then I came to the end, and it said, by Diane Eaton. It was another beauty.
Thank you so much for sending it. I am so glad that the Lord still enables you to write for Him, and through it reach many people with His love.
Trust relationships are so important in our lives, especially trusting our Lord.
Your granddaughter sounds like a wonderful little girl. Enjoy her company.
My grandchildren live all out of town, and I don’t drive, so I do not see them often, but they are in my heart and prayers always. God cares for them.
Keep writing Dianne with God’s blessings.
Thank you, Diane, for sharing your precious granddaughter’s story with us, and you know one of mine is coming!!
When my husband followed God’s calling and entered chaplaincy our youngest was only 2 when her Daddy left us for 2 months for Chaplain’s School. The older 3 we could help them understand, so I had to have a plan. I chose a special reachable spot to put Daddy’s picture, and goodness knows how many times she hugged and kissed that picture. When we met him at the airport, do you think she had to be told “there’s your Daddy?” You never saw a 2-year-old run so fast and calling to him until they collided and he picked her up!!!
Thank you, Lord. And thank you, Diane, for being my friend who is so blessed.
(Ca)
Thought of E. reading this and maybe when she comes to stay overnight I need to do this.