The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
— Acts 17:24–25
I recently saw a humorous yet revealing side-by-side picture. It was taken at the Grand Canyon with the first picture displaying the breathtaking grandeur of the 277-mile-long, 10-mile wide, one-mile deep canyon, which is designated as one of the seven physical wonders of the world. The caption under this photo says, “What my wife sees.” The second photo has the canyon in the background, but the lens is zoomed in on the handrail and, more specifically, a very poor weld that is part of the handrail construction. The caption under the second photo says, “What I see.”
This photo comparison speaks to me of perspective. It strikes me because, too often, I get so caught up in the details around me that I lose the larger perspective of God — who he is, his glory, his majesty, his presence, and what he is doing around me. This loss of perspective can, unfortunately, result in me resorting to breadbox prayers. Instead of praising and praying with wonder and anticipation, I dumb things down to what I think or can perceive and fit into a breadbox.
We’ve been reminded this week from Psalm 50 and today from Acts 17 that “God made the world and everything in it”. He doesn’t need anything, but instead provides everything.
We are all subject to losing spiritual perspective as we do life in the messy middle of sanctification. How do we know when we start sliding down this slope?
One of the primary indicators, for me at least, is starting to lose the joy of the Lord. As referenced in Nehemiah 8:10, His joy should be our strength. When this begins to happen, I recognize my worship, thanksgiving, and recognition of who God is are lacking.
If you find yourself in this state, you are encouraged to go on a praise walk. Be intentional to not ask for a single thing, but instead to reflect and thank God for the opportunity to be his child, for his faithfulness, for his provisions, for all he is doing in your midst, for prayers answered, and those yet to be.
Earlier I referenced the Grand Canyon as being one of the seven physical wonders of the world. There is an even greater wonder available if you’ve never made a profession of your faith in Christ: the marvelous spiritual wonder of God’s grace through his Son Jesus Christ.
But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved
— Ephesians 2:4–5
Through Christ’s death and resurrection, you have the opportunity to spend eternity with him. He loves you that much. All you have to do is confess your sin to him, ask him to forgive you, and start walking with him anew. It’s that simple.
If you made the decision to follow Christ or if you have related questions, I encourage you to contact one of our pastors by sending an email to info@clifec.com. They would love to answer any questions you may have, guide you, and/or celebrate your decision with you.
No matter where you are in your spiritual journey, join me in shifting focus from the handrail. Take a step back and, instead, enjoy the grandeur of who God is. He is worthy of our praise.