Reflection. An exact image in a reflective surface. The act of looking back on some thing or event.
It never fails that when I think about the word reflection I think of the scene of Mulan standing by the water seeing an image of herself. I hear Christina Aguilera singing ... When will my reflection show who I really am inside?
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Forgive me for all the jumping I'm about to do but try to stay with me as I pour out my heart on the idea of reflection{this is a normal thought process in the mind of Jenna ... scary, right??}. Have you ever heard the story of the refiner's fire. I'm probably gonna slaughter the legit story but bear with my paraphrase. A man goes to interview a man who makes silver, and as the man explains the process of placing the raw material into the fire, the interviewer proceeds to ask the man how he knows when the silver is ready. Only to have the man respond with such a simple and humbling response. When I can see my reflection. Oh for my Savior to look down onto me in the fire and see His reflection instead of my own. It turns my perspective completely upside down. I must admit that this is probably the first time in about 10 years when I haven't felt like the majority of my time has been spent under the sweltering heat of the hottest of fires. Amid my many {and I literally mean MANY} pity parties, I'm reminded of the purpose. All to make myself a more beautiful reflection of my precious Savior.
Reflection. Looking back on Easters past. All the years that have passed since I accepted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior. All the growing I've done. All the fires I've been through. All the joys I've experienced. All the people who have come and gone from my life. Funny story {and don't ask me how I remember this}: when I was very little, I had this strange belief/idea that every year on Easter God would forgive my sins. Only once a year. Oh how I looked forward to Easter and the clean slate of starting over. I'm fairly certain it didn't take me long to realize this was quite absurd. And praise the Lord that isn't how it works. It's once for all kind of thing and as far as the east is from the west. That clean slate begins at the precise moment of surrender.
One more jump and I promise I'm done. I'm reading though the Bible. Taking my precious time. Really digging into the Word. Getting as much out of every word as I can. This weekend I was in Exodus 13 and 14 where God brings the Israelites out of Egypt. But before He brought them out, He had one last plague for the Egyptians. The death of every firstborn child. But the Israelites had to slaughter a lamb and smear the blood over their door in order for the angel of death to pass over the house (hence the Passover). But the coolest thing is God's master plan playing out on an old rugged cross on a hill far away. One Lamb. THE Lamb of God. Slaughtered. In order for His blood to cover our sins. No more death. He paid the price. I just imagine the passover happening again. I hear the frightening instructions to smear the door posts with the blood of a perfect, firstborn lamb. Or else. Slaughter the lamb or face imminent death. Well in reality, that's the same choice we all face. The angel of death came that night and the blood of that sacrificial lamb was the only thing saving the Israelites. The same still stands for us, yet the Lamb has already been slain, but we have to make the choice to be covered in the blood.
What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Oh precious is the flow that makes me white as snow. No other fount I know. Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
God has been giving me so much good stuff to reflect on. To really take a closer look at His character and plans. I'm so humbled to serve such an amazing God and a Risen Savior.
I'll leave you with this verse that jumped off the page at me tonight during my quiet time.
Exodus 15:13-14 "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. The nations will hear and tremble." Powerful stuff.
Learning to be the Light,
Jenna
P.S. This was intended for Easter, but time slipped away from me. Hopefully it serves as a reminder that Easter is celebrated every. single. day.