The Window and the Mirror

I moved into a new house this year that's like a two minute walk from the northeast end of campus. (Please don't stalk me.) I love living here because it's super close to my classes and I have some great roommates. I have the smallest room in the house, but my favorite part about it is that it has these really cool windows. Every day they fill my room with natural light. In the morning, I love to stare out at the trees in our backyard as the sun comes up. It's a beautiful sight that makes me break out into glorious singing!

God's Word is a lot like a window. Windows give us a clear view of something beyond them. They are lenses through which we can see something outside ourselves, and a way for someone outside to see in. (unless it's one of those one-way viewing windows)
The Bible is a window that allows us to gaze into the heart of God. It's a summary of the things that are important to Him. It contains an incredible story of redeeming broken people and a broken world.
Maybe you've never read the Bible or don't believe in it. Well just think about when you gaze at something beautiful like the vastness of the grand canyon or the sunset over the ocean. When we gaze at something beautiful, it inspires us.
 Growing up going to church, many times I was taught to read God's word and immediately think, "Ok, how does this relate to me? How does this apply to my life? What would I have done in this situation?" When we would read through the story of David and Goliath, one of the first questions we would ask was, "What are some Goliaths that you need to take down in your life?"

I remember getting anxious a lot because I would always walk away feeling so much pressure to be a better Christian.

The problem with too much focus on life application is that it takes the focus off of God and puts it on US. I find myself so many times getting focused on myself, making sure that I'm doing all the right things, saying all the right things, and acting like a good Christian that God wants me to be. But that's a never ending cycle that doesn't work to produce lasting changes. Think about it like this. Whenever we hear a very moving story, our first though is never, "Ok now, how can I apply this story to my life?" It just impacts us naturally and we usually don't even think about it. The same can happen with God's word. When we stop trying to apply it to our lives and just take it in, it applies itself! That's the power of God at work. (Philippians 2:13) 

Not only is the Bible a window through which we can see God’s goodness, it is also a mirror that shows us who we are. Imagine if you went your entire life without ever seeing your reflection in a mirror, and all you had to rely on is what other people tell you. You may get all sorts of opinions of how you look, but it is impossible to know for sure unless you have a mirror. A mirror is objective. It doesn't care about being your friend, but simply reflects exactly what is in front of it.
This particular characteristic of the bible is pretty offensive to many people because it claims to reveal the true condition of our hearts. Hebrews 4:12 says, "The word of God is alive and powerful…It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires."

How does the Bible do this? It does so through the Law. God’s Law is one of the first things we must deal with for the Bible to make any sense. It is a mirror that reflects our morality. I would argue that without looking into the mirror of God's Law, we can never appreciate the window of the Gospel.
What is God’s law anyway? Well, the Ten Commandments is a good place to start. They tell us to always love God with everything we are, and that lying, stealing, murdering, adultery, idolatry, etc. are wrong. If we do those things, it is called sin. (1 John 3:4)
To make matters worse, in the New Testament, Jesus didn't just deal with obvious externals, he went straight to the heart! Matthew 5:28 says, “But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Just like in our court system, if we have broken a law even once, we must pay some sort of penalty. If we don’t, then there is no real justice. If God is just, which He says He is, then he must punish all moral violations. That means we’re in trouble because all of us are guilty of breaking his law that demands perfection. That is the hardest part about looking into the mirror of God’s word. It shows us that we’re messed up. Who wants to be told that? Not me. But that’s why Jesus is such a big deal. Look up John 3:16-17. He came to take on our punishment through his death on the cross. He paid an eternal debt that we owed, and if we turn from our sins and accept what Jesus did, trusting in him as our Savior, we can be made right with God and saved from sin and death.

So what do you need today? Maybe you think you are a good person and don’t really see a need for God. I challenge you to stop comparing yourself to others and carefully look in the objective moral mirror of God’s word.

Maybe you feel like a failure because you know that you fall so short and think that you’ll never be good enough. It’s time for you to look through the window of the Gospel, the good news of what God did for you. The gospel not only saves us, it sanctifies us.

Jesus said, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest...Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light."