Picture on a Wall
It’s natural for most of us to see Sunday as the end of a weekend that felt too short and the day before you have to go back to a monotonous routine. Lately, I’ve tried to focus on it as a day where I get to wake up excited to go to church, spend time with people I care about, and start off the week on a good note. One of the comparisons my pastor made this morning resonated with me and inspired me to go into this one with an adjusted perspective.
He was speaking about the love Jesus has for us, how He’s still interceding for us every day despite the fact that He already made the ultimate sacrifice for us, and how He is the permanent priest. He mentioned visiting fellow pastors at churches in the UK and seeing plaques and portraits of previous leaders on the walls, and how if there was an exhibit for priests who lived forever, a portrait of Jesus would be the only one on display. As someone who appreciates an art museum, I imagined how it feels when you walk into an exhibit and understand the immensity of an artist having the entire space dedicated only to their work. It’s proof of how significant what they chose to spend their lives dedicated to was. Now think of how incredible it is that we’re able to have a relationship with someone whose picture on the wall is so remarkable that it can never be replaced or joined by another. It’s the picture of grace that we get the chance to experience even when we don’t deserve it.
This idea made me reflect on how difficult we tend to make extending grace and interceding for each other when we need it most. I’ve seen us all get caught up in the moment of being determined to have the last word or make sure our voices are heard over others, and it only causes more problems. Our need for empathy and grace should outweigh the desire to be right. At the end of the day, we’re all imperfect humans who deal with hardships and emotions differently. Show compassion instead of frustration the next time a stressful situation comes up, and I can guarantee good will come from it.
-Chloë
