To See Christ Only...

Torrey sessions (aka discussion-based classes that I'm a part of at my college) can be really long and monotonous at times. I mean, don't get me wrong, I've come to love my little group of 16 amazing friends, but sometimes after a three.hour.long.class of debate over "what existence is" my brain just starts to short circuit... That sentiment brings me to two important things that God has been pouring into me lately, only one of which I will share in this post.

First of all, I must say -in order to repair what I said above- that there is always at least one really insightful thing that I can take away from each of these 'sessions', God has definitely taught me through all of the hard work of these classes to pick up on the core truths and wisdom that underlie every work that has ever been written (whether they be dark truths or happy truths). Just the other day I picked up on one that, quite strangely, I'd never noticed before in the book of Mark, in the story of the transfiguration.

My Professor for the session (the infamous Dr. Reynolds) pointed the class to a most simple yet profound thought: Mark 9:8 says, " And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them, but Jesus only."

Jesus Only

On that mountain, one of the most brash and foolish of disciples, the one who probably made the most mistakes out of all of them, the one whom Christ himself called Satan was on the top of that hill, having the privilege to see Christ only, in all His glory, shining in all perfection and simplicity. And Jesus invited him there with Him, in full knowledge of what was about to happen! He invited, out of all the 12, Peter... how unique and wonderful Christ's love is for His beloved!

Peter was there, and yet was still to be the one who denied Christ three times, and then went on to be declared by Christ as the foundation of the Church... Does that boggle anyone else's mind?? I mean, in my sinfully limited mind, I think that Peter would have been the last person Christ should have wanted to give such privilege and blessing to... but then again, His ways are so much higher than my ways.

This radical overlook and forgiveness of Peter's sin gives me hope, especially since I feel like I can be a real Peter sometimes... you know, trying to have to best intentions, but often stepping out and ending up just doing or saying something really stupid... I think it's a human disease that most of us suffer from from time to time ;).

But the fact is that this story is first of all a huge testament and should serve as a HUGE encouragement to all of us sometime and full time Peters. We can never do anything too stupid or too sinful that we will be unforgivable by our loving Christ- hopefully we don't go so far as acting like Satan... but even when Peter did, Christ still invited him up that mountain!

The other thing I was reminded by in this passage is that I've lost the striving and focus that I once had to "do all things as if for God, not men"... and that here, in this passage lies the key that for some reason flipped a switch of understanding in my mind as no other has on this specific topic.

Jesus Only

The thing I came to realize is that just striving and doing things for God is a bit too "theoretical" and a lot less seemingly practical in my mind's conception of things... for some reason, when I think in the terms of that commandment it feels more like an "okay... cool... that is what I want my life to look like, to really please and live for God intentionally..." and then I run out of steam and motivation because there is nothing solid anchoring it in the deeper levels of my life!

But here in Mark I've found the best anchor I've ever found: to see Christ only.

That means not just saying "oh... God commanded this and so I'll try as best I can by my humanly power to do it"... but far more it says "Christ bought this work, He bought my life, He bought my right to an ability to think and reason, He bought my ability to love and work with people, He bought me..."

And therefore, in truth, everything I do is Christ, everything I am is Christ, everything I'm called to is Christ... and when I look at all things, even that task I'm dreading to do, I see Christ only. I no longer see the boring lecture, or that person I'd rather avoid, but millions of opportunities and things that Christ died for me to be able to experience, enjoy, and glorify Him in! This is the truth as we hardly ever perceive it.

In no way am I close to seeing this clearly in my day to day life... but now that truth is anchored in my soul, and by God's grace, may He help me and you as well to grow in this reviving perspective until I can truly say that I see nothing else, but Jesus Only!