Majesty Missed
Matthew 13:16 New International Version (NIV)
16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
As the halls fill with the footsteps of people moving from place to place. Some are inspired to move to see the details found in sculptures, others are inspired to examine the works of famous artists, and others are moved by certain styles of art. To someone who loves and has an understanding of art, an art museum provides inspiration and wonder. Yet in the middle of one of the galleries was a long bench and there sat my son with his head down and his phone in his hand, isolated from the beauty around him. It wasn’t that the beauty wasn’t around him. It was there yet he couldn’t see it. A distraction caused by a teenage social life and a digital world crying out for his attention, resulted in this moment of missed majesty.
This can happen to us too, especially for those of us grieving. So overwhelmed by life we can miss the beauty that is right in front of us. This week would have been my son’s nineteenth birthday. The day following his birthday I shared the following post on Facebook about an experience that I had that morning:
I often find comfort by visiting spots Bryce and I visited together. This morning as I struggled, comfort came in a unique form. I visited a spot that was very memorable for me. On that day Bryce darted off the trail and yelled to me that I needed to come to him and take a picture of what he found. Water from the creek flowed over the rocks creating a beautiful and peaceful scene. That day stood out because Bryce was the one that found the beauty around him. Today as I visited the spot and feeling the depth of my grief from missing his birthday, the light crossed between the trees and landed on the water falling over the rocks. As I lifted my camera to capture the moment I noticed the trees formed a cross centered in the background of the photo as the light passed through it.
In Matthew 13:16, Jesus had been sharing parables. These simple stories were meant to share strong spiritual truths. Those around Him were all hearing the same stories but not all of them were understanding. To the few who found understanding He said, “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”
If someone else walked along the same rocks by the creek they might have missed the light and the cross formed by the trees. Does that mean they weren’t there? No, it means that they missed the majesty of the moment. God has placed beauty and messages of his love for us all around us. Parables told in everyday moments, whispering strong spiritual truths. As we are surrounded in what seems like everyday moments, God may be whispering His love for us. These moments can be visual scenes like I shared or they might be in that perfectly timed phone call from a friend, a song at the right moment, the actions of a stranger, or an unexpected experience. Don’t let your grief, stress, or anxiety miss that moment of majesty that is meant for you. Be still and know He is God.
