(boulevard)

Lately, I have had this concept on my mind. Glance, Gaze, Glimpse. Now, before I get all philosophical, let’s get technical.

Glance: v. to look quickly or briefly. to allude briefly to a topic or subject in passing (usually fol. by at).

Gaze: v. to look steadily and intently, as with great curiosity, interest, pleasure, or wonder.

Glimpse: n. a momentary or slight appearance. a vague idea; inkling.

Ok, so why all the “g” words that refer to seeing or vision or something along those lines?

Glance.  Examine briefly or allude to the subject of your past. The things that have shaped you. The experiences that taught you important lessons. The people who showed you what it means to love. The pain you’ve experienced that revealed a deeper understanding of the love God has for you. The overwhelming joy you experienced in an encounter with God’s Holy Spirit. Why glance? The past is part of you, but it does not define your future. To “glance” at the past means to remember it in perspective while not continuing to live in it. This concept can be looked at from both a negative and a positive perspective. The bad things in your past have contributed to the person you are today. But if you’ve committed to a life of serving Christ, and believe in Him as your Savior, you are no longer bound to the things that held you back. You’re not trapped by burden and sin and sorrow. And the good things in your past once fueled a joy and passion for Christ within you, but you cannot depend on the spiritual “highs” of yesterday to carry you through the reality of today. That brings me to my next point.

Gaze. Look steadily, intensely and with wonder on the opportunities of today. Today is the day that the Lord has made. Right now is the moment you have the privilege of living. Being committed to Christ means living a lifestyle of worship. It means recognizing everyday moments to live out the Gospel and to show the love of Jesus right where you are. Focus on what God is calling you to do and who He is calling you to be right now. Right now is what you have. It is a gift. It is a responsibility.

Glimpse. Pray for a dream. A vague idea. An inkling of the plans God has for your future. Your todays are steadily becoming your yesterdays, and with each new step on this journey with God, He will begin to open your eyes to the possibilities that lie ahead for the life that is committed to Him. God is the God of the impossible. He is the creator of the universe, the giver of dreams. One of my favorite things I’ve heard preachers often say is, “God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips the called.” He has a plan for you, and you may only see a glimpse of it now, but tomorrow will be today soon enough.

There is a chapter in Francis Chan’s book, Crazy Love, called “Serving Leftovers to God.” As I read it, each word really cut deep at some of the ways I see a lack of love for God and others displayed in my own life. As I discussed this chapter with a friend, she said, “Isn’t it great how God allows us to feel conviction without shame?”

Wow. Conviction without shame. A beautiful thing. The difference is love. The conviction that comes from God’s Holy Spirit is a knowing that while we are still loved, there is a higher level of relationship we can be functioning in if we just allow God to change certain areas of our lives. There is no love in shame. God does not shame. God is love.

1 Corinthians 13 is known as the love chapter. Verses 6 and 7 say, “Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Here is the challenge Francis Chan gives: Replace the word “love” with your own name.

_____ is patient and kind; _____ does not envy or boast; _____ is not arrogant or rude. _____ does not insist on his/her own way; _____ is not irritable or resentful; _____ does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. _____ bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Does it feel like a lie? Probably. We are not perfect. But it sure puts it into perspective that there is an incredible amount of growth to look forward to. God is love. If you replace the word “love” with “God,” the statements lose no potency or truth. With God, nothing is impossible. With God, we can all be better at showing this thing called love.

1 Corinthians 13:13, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

This weekend, I had the privilege of being reminded why friendship is such a beautiful thing. If you’re anything like me, you may have spent some time marveling over how different each of your friends is. Every person that I am able to call “friend” adds a little something different to my life that wouldn’t be there without them.

Some friends listen. Some talk.

Some friends laugh. Some cry.

Some friends wear me out. Some energize me.

Some friends preach. Some pray. Some pry.

Some friends miss me. Some friends, I miss.

Some friends sing. Some dance. Some read. Some blog. Some play. Some win. Some lose.

Most friends are not limited to one of the aforementioned traits.

All my friends are a significant part of me.

I hope you take the time to appreciate each of your friends for their uniqueness. God created every person to live a unique life, and I count it a privilege to be surrounded by His living creation. There is so much to learn in and from relationships. In Genesis, God recognized Adam’s solitary condition and noted that “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him” (Genesis 2:18). God is a relational God. He made people in his likeness. Therefore people are relational beings. Value others! Be intentional about getting to know people. Make sure you tell the people you love just what they mean to you. That is how we are meant to function.

So, to my friends, past, present and future: I love you! I am so thankful for you.