a new perspective

Perspective is everything. Isn't it?
When we see from the perspective before us, we will think from our vantage point and thus live out of that. What other perspective is there? I only have but my own eyes and story from which to proceed so how can I shift to any other perspective? Sometimes that shift requires a reframing of our mind, a whole new focus.
When my son, who is a hobby photographer, takes a picture he often crouches down, shifting his perspective, getting closer or farther from the object he is framing. By contrast, I take the same picture framed from my own 5 foot height stance. In failing to shift, I miss much of the beauty my son is capturing. He then edits pictures from yet another perspective by removing entire backgrounds and adding filters and color. The scene is a fresh creation that I completely missed by failing to alter my perspective.
The Word of God tells us when we surrender to the Lord, coming to salvation, we are made new. We are now in the likeness of God created in true righteousness and holiness as Ephesians 4 teaches. Our perspective is to shift to accommodate this Truth. But this doesn't come naturally to us, it must be supernatural. A perspective shift requires a renewed spirit of our mind. When Truth determines our thinking, then our mind is renewed and our behavior is altered to reflect that truth. Much like my son's pictures reflect a unique,
artistic perspective.
Ephesians 4 illustrates this shift by highlighting certain behaviors that reflect the new angle. We speak truth. We may be angry but do not sin in that anger. We no longer steal but work honestly and share with others rather than take. Our talk is no longer corrupt but rather encouraging and grace filled. We live kindly, tenderheartedly and forgiving. Why? Our perspective has shifted and we remember we are made in His likeness, we are forgiven and we are new creations.

From what perspective are you thinking and behaving?
In what way do you need to shift your perspective today?
Let's let His truth reframe our minds and thus give us the framework of grace from which to live.

reaching

At five feet even, I always seem to find myself reaching. Books on the shelf, frozen veggies in the grocery store, boxes in the closet. Always reaching up, often on tippy toes.
Metaphorically, I have found myself reaching often too. Another glass of wine,  social media scrolling, texts to friends. Anything to numb, distract and fill the canyon that is all too often echoing within my soul that yearns for a continual filling.
Now here we are weeks spent at home, time unfilled, demands waning, yet giving way to anxieties that scream and tug at the corners of my mind. What do I reach for? CNN, Facebook or more carbs?
The Lord met me in Ephesians 3:14-19 this morning with an answer.
Paul prays here for other believers, that we would be strengthened with His power through His Spirit to know the unknowable and immeasurable love of Christ and he says that will bring a filling with all the fullness of God. That word, strengthened, from the Greek word meaning to have the upper hand gave me such a visual of my own hand slipping into the hand of the One who is already holding me.
Jesus reached out His hand and took hold of Peter in Matthew 14:31. This morning, He reached out His hand afresh and invited me to take hold of His. "Oh you of little faith, why did you doubt?" He asks Peter. Oh you of little faith, what are you reaching for to fill you? Right here in the boredom and anxiety of this season. Right now in the pain and the trials. Are you reaching for His filling hand or for that which will leave you empty? Continue to reach afresh today, for the upper hand that really does strengthen and fill with all the fullness of God.