Where Are You Looking?

Are you someone who enjoys making resolutions and plans for the New Year? I certainly am. For my entire life, I have been a planner. As a child, I planned my high school and college experiences, career, wedding, marriage, and future family. At 12, I knew exactly how my life would look. It’s MY life after all, isn’t it? I know what I want and what will make me happy.

This last year, I struggled immensely with my purpose. I asked God time and time again what he wanted me to do with my time on this earth. I want to honor him, I want to do what he has called me to do, I want to live for him, but I constantly feel like I’m falling short of his intentions for my life. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I didn’t give him much time to answer my questions.

A few weeks ago, my pastor preached on 2 Corinthians 3:18 where Paul writes, “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”

My pastor challenged us to spend some time in the coming week contemplating the Lord’s glory. This sat heavily on my heart when the service ended because I realized that I spend so much time with the Lord, but so often I allow my own voice to dominate our conversations.

Contemplation requires stillness. Stillness requires surrender. And surrender requires acknowledging that I have nothing to bring to the table beyond my own humble heart. Surrendering my plans, my petitions and my prayers requires me to say, “Lord, I am coming to your table empty-handed, ready to receive whatever it is you have for me.”

As I stilled and surrendered my agenda to the Lord to contemplate his glory, something miraculous happened. He revealed the smallest sliver of his glory to me. It was a breathtaking picture of the heavens in all their brilliance, filled with light refracting off the world’s most precious gems in every color imaginable. It was so overwhelmingly beautiful that I could only bare it a few moments before I had to open my eyes. I noticed that I had tears running down my face. As I grabbed my pen to journal the experience, I heard God tell me firmly, “You are safe. I love you. You are precious to me.”

I didn’t make any plans in the moments after this experience. Instead, I sat in silence, contemplating all that he’d shown me, knowing it was only the tiniest picture of what God’s glory will be when we meet face to face. I felt no urge to further understand his plans for me. I had no questions. I had answers. I had peace. I had joy. I was grateful and in awe of our beautiful Lord and Savior. In those moments after God revealed himself to me, as I sat quietly in his presence, I didn’t question my purpose on earth because I finally understood. I was living it.

Dear friends, I bless you with the revelation that our lives are no longer our own. We are seated with Christ at the right hand of God and our lives are hidden with him. I bless you in this new year with the peace that comes from surrendering your plans to our glorious God who cares for you and loves you dearly. I bless you with the knowledge that you are precious to God and that he has given you the most beautiful purpose imaginable- knowing him intimately. Come to his table, unveiled, totally and completely yourself, and commune with him. Experience his glory and be transformed by his presence and will for you. This is our purpose. Praise God!

Claire Savageau ~ January 17, 2023