Darkly Through the Glass

By Jerry D. Ousley

All was dark.  Jim leaned back against the wall.  He flinched slightly as the cold, damp concrete touched his flesh.  A drop of water trickled down onto his shoulder and caused him to shiver.  He paused momentarily, then slapped away a rat that had crawled up to nibble on his already tattered clothing.  How much longer must he remain here?  How much more of this could he take?  He had existed in this cell for 120 days now.  He knew this only because of a small pane of glass that stood behind a set of bars and allowed a few rays of daylight to enter his otherwise dingy cell.   This little 12" x 12" opening was the only reason, he felt, that he had not slipped into insanity. Each morning, and as many times a day as his wasted body would allow him, he would go to the window, pull himself up to where his eyes could just see over the concrete wall and through the window.  There he remained until his arms ached from holding himself up.

The window was covered inside and out with filth, but he could make out shadows and hear voices.  He tried to imagine what went on with those who passed by throughout the day.  When night would fall, he would sit quietly in the cell, fighting rats, dozing in sleep, and waiting for the sun to rise again.

He only had to deny his faith to once again join those beyond the window.  He had been sorely tempted.   At times, it seemed that the devil himself would sit by him snarling, “Just deny your faith and you will be free from this torment.  See where worshipping God has gotten you?  But I can help you see your family again.  I can get you out of here.”  But Jim would respond, his emaciated body shaking under the temptation, “I will never deny or forsake my Lord!' 

Jim knew that the life he now led was typical of the human predicament.  Locked in the prison of a world of sin, by salvation, the Christian could dimly see the light of Heaven through the window of the soul, and know that soon, he would be on the other side with Christ.

1 Corinthians 13 is often referred to as “The Love Chapter.”  It speaks of doing things for Christ but clearly says that if anything is done for any reason other than love – Love for God and love for our fellow men – that it is merely vain service that will amount to nothing.  Love is why we should come to God – realizing that, as John so aptly wrote, “God is love.” (1 John 4:8) and we can only love Him because He loved us first us (1 John 4:19).

Then, because of our love for God we reflect that love by loving our fellow men and our brothers and sisters in Christ.  We do this, again, because of the love of God in us when He saves us and indwells us with His Holy Spirit.  It is indeed the new commandment from our Savior.  Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.  By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35).

Paul further wrote in so many words that even if we have been greatly used in Spiritual gifts, been a great and eloquent speaker, attracted enormous crowds and influenced many with our magnetic personalities, if we have not done it in genuine love for others, then it is vain and our words are like a clanging cymbal, making an unrhythmic, irritating noise.  Those aren’t the exact words but the gist of what he meant.  It is very true, if we haven’t ministered in love then we haven’t served but worked only to be lifted up in pride.

But then he shifted gears a bit in the chapter.  In verse 12 he wrote, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12).  Paul was given great and wonderful revelations of the heart of God.  After his conversion he forsook his great education, privileged to learn directly from one of the most famous educators of the Jews at that time, a man called Gamaliel.  He spent time in Arabia seeking God and receiving information directly from Him.  He was even caught up to Heaven where He was shown great and wonderful things (2 Corinthians 12:2-4).  Yet, he counted all those things as second to his calling to spread the gospel, loving all he came into contact with.

In all of this he said that he only saw dimly, like looking into a dirty mirror.  He could see his reflection but it was dark and distorted.  Regardless the knowledge we may gain here on Earth, our revelation of the Almighty, ever-loving God is at best dim and distorted.  Still, we love; still, we preach; still, we tell of the mighty love of Christ.

The day is quickly approaching when we will no longer see darkly.  At that time, we will see clearly.  Our reflection will show the new man – the changed man – the new creation in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5;17).  Right now, we know part of the story.  Right now, we have a limited knowledge.  But then, oh yes, then we will know Just as we know ourselves.  We will see Him face to face.  All will be clearly revealed.  All our questions, all our speculations, all our doubts and concerns, all will be made known.

We love as God told us (or we give it our best anyway).  We hold on in faith, believing that what God has promised in the Bible will come to pass.  It will.  I know it.  So, in love, this very moment, if you have never yielded to that yearning call in your life, yield to it now.  Allow the God of love to change you forever, to create that new creation in you, and one day all those questions and dim visions will be made clear.  That’s a promise.

Jerry D. Ousley is the author of ?Soul Challenge?, ?Soul Journey?, ?Ordeal?, ?The Spirit Bread Daily Devotional and his first novel ?The Shoe Tree.?  Visit our website at spiritbread.com to download these and more completely free of charge.