SPLENDOR

The word for me conjures such great images. The kinds that make you feel full of awe.
Things like sunrise or brilliant fields of flowers in spring have that affect at times.

They make one feel so alive and for a while life seems more intense and full of joy. Well in terms of how I perceive it that is the view I take.

And I know I am not alone. Nature just seems to have that power. And when this happens it can even take on a magical quality.

Course this is not perhaps as vivid in our thinking as our own view of what heaven is truly like. Only we don't have the ability to truly see heaven.

But we all do project in some way into our idea of what it might be like. And I imagine the word splendor would apply.

What is harder is to find heaven in the wasteland. To see splendor in places where they seem so full of destruction.

Yet, that is what eyes of faith, inspired by the Lord's spirit are suppose to see. The world is God's creation.

Even in the harsher moments if we can find God in it and savor the good intended, our gaze will always be more uplifting.

Not that we can always see God in thing like pure evil. But we can appreciate His splendor and when it is absent.

Perhaps the world will never be perfect. Maybe it will not become paradise. Still it is the Lord's handiwork.

As our people. Now seeing splendor in some lives is really hard. They can be so abrasive and hurtful.

So seeing any splendor in that context can be challenging. I'm not sure that we are suppose to look at those surrendered over to demons as splendor. See the sadness of their condition, but that is not the same thing as it being splendor.

What is something to enjoy is seeing the potential in a life. To see what God sees and that is a special source of wonder.

And if we can do that, perhaps encourage it then maybe the person will be able to become what is inside. Which is always better than if it never appears

But lips to often just never seem able to say what God's spirit would say through us if we obeyed. Thank goodness He is more loving and merciful than us.