early reflections

The dawn is coming a little earlier as we move through winter and spring is just over the horizon.  It's interesting how the skies begin to brighten well before the sun actually appears.  As I looked out over my favorite pond I saw reflections of the trees along the shoreline in the surface of the water well before sunrise.  Early morning is a good time for reflecting.  My thoughts formed around the reality that we are essentially spiritual beings.  We progress through this life from infancy to adulthood to old age within a physical frame.  It takes quite a while for us to reach physical maturity...something like a quarter of our lives.  But our spiritual maturity is a quest that only begins here.  Much of our frustration in life may come from the false expectation that the physical worldcan provide all we need and fulfill our deepest desires and greatest longings.  But we are deep water and the physical world, with all it has to offer, cannot reach to our depths or raise us to the heights we've been made for.  At some point we have to make peace with a mystery...the mystery of being a spiritual being trapped temporarily in a material world.  Because of this reality we are filled with inner questions and wonders that defy answer or resolution from nature or science.  It's almost as if we are living in a place that is always pre-dawn, with just enough light to see that there is more that will be seen when the sun fully rises.  I suppose the peace that we long for comes when we meet the One who commands the spirit world we have been made to ultimately dwell in.  The restlessness we may experience as spiritual beings housed in a physical frame finally finds peace when we accept the peace offered by our Maker.  The book of Ephesians touches on this spiritual identity and challenge in chapter 6.

Ephesians 6:¹⁰ A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹ Put on all of God's armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. ¹² For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.

 ¹³ Therefore, put on every piece of God's armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. ¹⁴ Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God's righteousness. ¹⁵ For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. ¹⁶ In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. ¹⁷ Put on salvation as your helmet, and take thesword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

blessings,

Rob Smith