Can You Spot Jesus’ Face in this Painting?
Can you find the face of Jesus in my painting? He IS very much present watching over what I like to call “The Early Morning Meeting of the Cardinal Couple.” If you don’t see him at first, focus and concentrate. He will suddenly appear.
Don’t miss the gorgeous cardinals
We only see what we pay attention to and we miss what we don’t. Several times a week my wife, Phyllis, and I take walks through the woods in the Texas Hill Country where we live—a beautiful playground. Sometimes we get so focused on talking that we don’t even notice the gorgeous cardinals, beautiful flowers, and interesting wildlife along our path. Other times, we intentionally look for a cardinal, and we usually spot one, sometimes hearing him first.
Believing in Him is not experiencing Him.
We Christians believe intellectually that God is ever-present in our lives and never leaves us or forsakes us, but believing and experiencing are significantly different. Too often we stroll through our daily routines in a daze or dash around from one event to the next and miss seeing him when he is right there beside us.
Focusing your attention works
Because you don’t see God in your life doesn’t mean he is not there. He is just as present and active in and around and through your life as in the lives of people you may consider saints or spiritual giants. What may be lacking is that you are not focusing your attention and looking for God’s presence in people and events throughout your day.
Try is simple new habit. It will change how you see.
Try this new habit and see if you don’t start experiencing God in your life. You already believe God is present in your life, so start practicing his presence. Throughout every day start saying “Thank you Jesus” in response to people and activities. This simple habit will teach you to sense the Spirit of God, the presence of Jesus, in every event.
Saying “Thank you Jesus” when good things happen will help you better recognize the source of all the blessings that come to you. Your new habit will also help you become more grateful and more attentive to God’s presence in your life.
Saying “Thank you Jesus for being with me” when bad things happen will help you express what you already believe—that God is with you no matter what, has not left you during hard times, and is actively working in your life even when you cannot see him.
Responding “Thank you Jesus” will increase your joy as you express your gratitude, will vitalize your daily relationship with God, and will cause you to anticipate seeing him all along your walk in his creation. That is a sign of a Healthy Faith.
Just as you can see Jesus’ face when you focus on the trees above the cardinals in my painting, eventually, all who seek in their everyday, walking-around lives DO find him.
Bill