Sabbath Blessings: Shabbat Shalom…Just Be!

Today, this moment, Sabbath shall be upon us, and another blessed opportunity to refresh in the presence of my Maker, Sustainer. The Sabbath, what a wonderful opportunity presented to me for a chance to come before Him and turn it all over; all the things of the past week that might have been good or bad, just turn them all over to Him, and sit down and relax, just knowing I am in His Presence. An opportunity to turn off the movie in my mind, to close my eyes and rest, quietly contemplating…nothing, or if thoughts come, allowing them to continue flowing along on the river of life, barely touching the surface, until they have floated out of sight. Just to allow them to continue along their journey, perhaps returning again, but not stopping them to embrace or ponder for any length of time. Considering that it is my life force that carries them along and it will continue to flow in its perfect circle of life….washing away as it were the cares of the world.

I came across the image below that I’d saved to my computer a very long time ago.

There is such a powerful message in such a tiny photo, even without the words. When I first saw this image, it brought out a poem within me, a very simple one; just a few lines, and one I’d like to share with you now. It is called “Through His Eyes”. Just look at that tiny newborn baby being held in a parents hand, a hand that seems so very big in comparison with the wee baby. Then take a look at you and I and try to imagine the Creator who sees all, knows all, is all. Can you even begin to fathom the magnitude of His awesomeness. Then in line with that recall the thought, the Word that tells us that we are created in His image, but a tiny fragment of who He is – and try and put yourself in His shoes….as He stands there purveying all that He has Created – in time we call past and time we call present and time we call future. And having purveyed and attempted to survey all that He might have in His “sight” – try to see yourself in there.

In line with the fact that there are many planets, much larger than the planet upon which we live, Earth. When seen through the magnification of a NASA telescope, earth looks like something the size of a pea in comparison with other planets. Keep that vision in your mind, and then try to visualize where you would be on that tiny pea, you a millions of people, for instance the 5 million that live in my city Toronto.

Do you get the sense of the message that my Spirit got….when it spoke to me the words of the brief poem, Through His Eyes?

Then take this revelation of “how grand” we are not, and line it up with our grandiose ideas and ideals about ourselves: how “wealthy”, “pretty”, “smart”, “astute”…whatever the adjective that you choose to apply to yourself – and in comparison with Him…does any of it really amount to even a hill of beans? How arrogant we are, us human folks. We don’t even give Him the credit for our very being: our perfect health and our ability to….do anything. We do and go about things as though we are our own authors of our intelligence or whatever it is that keeps me or you “puffed up” in our grandiose ideas.

But….through His eyes – well, just how do you or I measure up. Are we even a “speck” in His eyes? Hardly, and yet we are the finest and largest mountains in our own eyes. What foolishness, do you not agree?

Through His Eyes

Cradled in the palm of His hand,
Through His eyes, I see all that I am.
I thought I was big, grown up and wise,
But not so, when seen through His eyes.

I lay there, tiny and curled up,
But a mere speck, not very much.
When seen through His eyes,
It’s scary to think I once thought I was wise.

Now, having written that and read it again, I would add that yes, I am wise and that I readily admit – however, giving thanks to He who created me and gave me the wisdom and intelligence that allow me to make my way in this pilgrim’s journey on earth; spiritual beings clothed in flesh, vagrant wanderers…until that great reawakening when the flesh and bone gets shed and we come face to face with the likeness of ourselves in our Creator.

So given this intelligence, and this wisdom, and this ability; these “talents” if you will – what is the purpose? Is it to serve self and self alone? No, it is not for that reason alone. Yes we are given abilities that we might eke a living, provide for our loved ones, but it is not solely for “self consumption.” We are given “talents” to share with the rest of the world to enable each of us to live a better moment today or tomorrow. All of our abilities, if joined and if shared with the world, would likely eliminate all the things that we see around us that hurt us: the suffering of the poor, the homeless, the widow without a means to support her children; people in other countries without even a glass of water.

Not so wise – if I choose not to have “eyes to see” and a “hearing heart” that prompts me to action, to share my abilities and giftings with the rest of the world.