Thursday, January 27, 2011

A different point of view

"But from God's point of view....." Romans 4:2 (NLT)



A few weekends ago, I asked my husband if he would kindly use his mighty strong arms and help me change the master bedroom around. This was not an unusual request, as moving furniture around is a commonplace at our home. It began in my childhood, as my mother would come into my "shared" bedroom and just sigh as the bed moved from location to location. It didn't go over well, when I made a line of demarcation down the center of my bedroom, separating my side from my little sister's. The furniture line that yelled, "Do not cross." Not a highlight of my furniture moving days, but one that is laughed about now.

But you see the point. I like change and sometimes that change comes in just moving around the furniture. My husband has grown to appreciate this love of mine, as it saves us lots of money. A piece of furniture becomes completely new when it is moved from one corner to the next or from room to room. No new furniture is needed, just a repositioning of the old. A new vantage point to take in the surroundings.

And new vantage points are good, for they give us a different point of view. A new perspective. New appreciation.

As I was vacuuming our bedroom earlier this week, I looked around the room, taking in the new bed placement. Scanning the long wall that once held our bed and now stands tall behind the dresser. The pictures were repositioned and the room seems so much larger. I smiled to myself, pleased with the new arrangement. The old became new once more. My eyes took in a whole new surrounding. New possibilities were opened up.

And it got me thinking about God, as much of life does. That often in our walk with Him, we can have a one track, never tested, never tried point of view. A selfish, "Me" point of view. Saying this is just how I was raised. I believe this or that about God because that is what I've been told. But we don't go to His Word, open it and dig into Him ourselves allowing Him to change our thinking with His Truths.  We settle for the arrangement of the furniture and constantly buy new things to fill the open spaces of our hearts. We put Him in a box and put our lives in the box with Him, saying this is as good as it is going to get. This is all He has for me.  There is no hope. And sometimes,  through a particular "arrangement", all we see is fog. We settle, looking inward, instead of outward and upward, instead of living fully the life God has planned for us.

Often our point of view is what needs to be changed. God doesn't change. He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. We need to change and sometimes, the surroundings need to change for the heart to be opened and able to receive. For the eyes to be focused on something different. Ultimately on Him and not ourselves.

Moses needed this. Born in Egypt and raised as an Egyptian Prince, he fled to Midian where he spent 40 years as a shepherd in the desert. Yes, the Arabian desert was where God needed him so He could  do some major heart surgery. Where Moses' grand vision of helping his people faded into a distant memory as he grows more humbled by the passage of time and the harshness of the desert. It is where God spoke to Moses in the burning bush. Where God called Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Where Moses accepted God's call. God was there. And from here, Moses went back to Egypt, seeing a scene completely different after his encounter with God. Moses becomes a deliverer.

God did the same with Paul. As Paul traveled to Damascus, there he was met on that road, by God. His scene was greatly interrupted. Paul planned on going to Damascus and dragging the believing Jews back to Jerusalem and persecuting them for their faith in Christ.  God had different plans. Instead, God was going to move around some furniture and change perspective. Do some major heart work. Blinded by God, Paul was taken to Damascus, and as the veil of lies fell off his eyes and heart by the hand of God,  he would go on and preach Jesus Christ to the Gentiles, but first he, too, spent a few years in the Arabian Desert. (Gal. 1:17,18). A new point of view. Paul became a writer and missionary sold out for Christ.

We all need our vantage points changed from time to time. A new point from which we take in the view.  And from that new point, often comes a new, deeper perspective. Clarity. Focus. Movement. Direction.

And it is that point that we view from that often needs rearranging. The interior furniture. From an "it's all about me point of view" to "it's all about Him and for Him point of view."

Sometimes that change has to come about in the desert. Sometimes along the road. Sometimes in suffering. If we are lucky, it happens on the mountain....or maybe a combination of them all. Right now, for me, it has been through cancer where God is doing some rearranging.

Either way, the point of view affects all tentacles of life. It makes us useful, or useless. It impacts relationships. It impacts our faith. It impacts marriage. It impacts parenthood. It impacts life. But most importantly, it impacts our relationship with Jesus Christ.

And it opens up new possibilities. Moses lead the Israelites to freedom. Paul saw thousands of lives changed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Suffering becomes joy. Ashes become beauty. Bondage becomes freedom.



And in my little corner of my bedroom.....a little nook was found that always was there, yet undiscovered. That nook now holds a chair (from the family room) and a small side table (again, from the family room), and has become my spot to curl up and be quiet before the Lord.  And the room has taken on a whole new appearance with new uses. A whole new point of view.




May we all yield to God's rearranging. Knowing that with the rearranging comes whole new possibilities!

Much love,
Stacy

14 comments:

Unknown said...

AMEN! So beautifully said!

You look great in your new profile picture!

I love what you did with the room - enjoy the new view. It is filled with new things that wait just for you!

Blessings and love,
Jill

Jenny said...

I love hearing your heart! Oh and I love your "new view"!!!

Diana Ferguson said...

I love your little nook! Blessings....

Janettessage.blogspot.com said...

Oh I can so relate to this in so many ways...first because I change things aroun and enjoy that...my daughter in law gets tickled that the house never stays the same...a new point of view.
I can also relate because we have been in the desert and I need a new perspective and God has been walking me through that...I am developing new eyes of possibility that weren't there before the wilderness experience.

Your room looks great...and I was so thrilled to see the pillow on your chair...I am sooooooooooooo blessed!!!! Enjoy your nook, I have one in my room and love it...that is where I am now...and now looking forward to a different point of view as we enter a new challenge in our life.

Debbie said...

Oh Stacy as always I can soo relate to your post. When I was young we not only moved furniture frequently, we "traded bedrooms" There was 4 of us girls and we would trade off having our own rooms. (2 of us could have our own, 2 of us shared)Such different "feels" we created...And things with the Lord have been on a MAJOR overhaul for the last year. Still discovering new perspectives. I do love your new room...I "used to" have a little chair in my room for just such a purpose, but since we moved there is no longer room. It is now in the livingroom (same chair) and such a DIFFERENT view. I love it! Praying all is going well with you. Have a wonderful day! HUGS, Debbie

Sara said...

Stacy,
So wonderfully phrased so my tired mind could hear the Lord through your words. Stacy... being in the hospital, I am a bit caught off guard by the selfishness in my heart. I have become a bit consumed by getting this baby here safely, when I know full well, it isn't even in my power. Thank you for speaking the truth to my heart today.

I am amazed by the grace the Lord has given you to be used by him over and over again through this trial of cancer. Thank you for being a vessel, willing to be used by him and for His glory.

I have a nook similar to yours that was uncovered when my friends cleaned my bedroom a few weeks back.. Hopefully after the baby comes, I can get up and use it as I intended for it to be used long ago:)

Praying for you sweet friend! You are a blessing to me:)
Sara

{darlene} said...

I love. love. love. love. this post.
{never mind the fact that I also love opening up possibilities in my home. I may be good at that, but God is the Master at opening up possibilities in my heart}
did I mention that I love this post?
- {darlene}

Ginny Marie said...

My mom always loved to move the furniture around! Dad would come home to a different arrangement quite often!

I just love the story of Paul, and how God completely changed his life around. What a miracle that was!

Joe said...

Thank-you for that wonderful post. It is just what I needed tonight. God's richest blessings to you!

Trisha said...

Stacy,
You're right. We were dancing on the same keyboard. :)

Beautiful post, and I love the sweet corner in your room! I want one just like that. :)

He & Me + 3 said...

I just knew that the chair in the corner was for your quiet time. Beautiful post. He is the same always!
Hugs,
MImi

diary of a suburban momma said...

Needed this post today... must be God's plan that I missed it on the day you posted it. Oh, and you neglected to mention that you made me use the window as my door:) Love thinking of those rearranging days.

Susan said...

Oh how neat...

Love the new look and all God taught you through this change.

You are an amazing woman of God.

I just love your heart.

Praying you through♥

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

Rearranging... new perspective. Being willing to look through new lenses without regret--that's how I want to live.

Love that you're getting there and embracing the new bend in the road. Love your faith... so vibrant and strong.

You're marking a good path for your family, Stacy. Thanks for living your heart out loud for all of us. You bless me.

peace~elaine