Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. 1 Cor. 13:12, NLT
I’ve never been a “morning person.” But one benefit to having a job that requires me to clock in by 6:45 AM is that I get to see some really beautiful sunrises that I otherwise would’ve slept straight through.
Just the other day as I left my house, the sky was bright pink with tinges of purple-y blue and orange. Twenty-five minutes later, as I crested the final stretch of road and my school building came into sight, the sky had completely changed and I saw something I’d never seen in my life: a white sunrise. The topmost layers of the sky were a light denim blue. But at the horizon line, a small central patch blazed a bright white. I have never seen anything like it; it took my breath away.
I soaked in the sight, clicking mental photos, then pulled out my phone to try to snap a picture. Later, when I got a chance to look at how the photo turned out, I was disappointed to find that the color wasn’t captured accurately–it looked yellow on the screen. How happy I was that I had taken accurate mental photos first!
Doesn’t that happen to us so often: the feeling that “the photo just doesn’t do it justice?”
As I looked at the bright white blazing through the dark clouds, I thought of 1 Corinthians 13:12 and how, despite the natural beauty that God has blessed us with in this world, it is nothing in comparison to the glory that we will see one day in the new Heaven and new Earth, and when we see Him face to face.
Don’t neglect to stop and notice the beautiful moments God gives you today; even in the most challenging days, there is beauty to be found. Give them your attentive presence. Slow down to take it in the best way: real-time. And then remember that the best is yet to come!
Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Philippians 3:13-14, NLT
Heavenly Father, we praise You for who You are and all You do. Thank you, God, for giving us a beautiful world to live in and the senses to appreciate Your creation. Thank you for the moments You give us each day as a reminder of Your love for us. Please help us to slow down enough to pay attention to the ways You want to speak into our lives and remind us of Your love today. May we encourage those around us to do the same. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.
Copyright Rhapsody Jordan-Parisi.
Rhapsody is a Christian Educators member and high school English teacher from North Carolina. She is passionate about helping overwhelmed teachers reclaim their time and peace of mind through support, encouragement, and intentional strategies. You can connect with her at tightropeteaching.com.
