I'd always wanted a stained glass window. And one day last summer, I found this one. It was a nice day in Comfort, a wonderful Texas town, historical, peaceful, comfortable.--the last day of a summer fling with 4 friends from high school, our ninth summer of getting together. These ladies are very special friends. We are all from Corpus Christi, Tx., went to some of the same schools together from 1st thru 12th grade, and were members of the same church youth group. One was my roommate in college too. We were in each others' weddings, we knew each others' parents and siblings, and have loved each other through the ups and downs of life... and many of the down sides were very tragic times. We've also shared the good things...babies, fun times, spiritual growth, second marriages, return of prodigals, triumph over hardships; the love and support of just knowing you have those long term relationships in life that are a constant for you...people that offer grace to you because they have known you so long...they know your history...and love you anyway...they know your weaknesses...and love you anyway...they know your strengths...and appreciate you...they know your struggles...and pray for you.
So last summer I got my longed-for stained glass window, while I was with some of the people that know me best in this world. I put it in the kitchen window that looks out into the "sun room" that became my husband's wood shop (not the greatest scene out the kitchen window). Today, I was trying to find the perfect place for six yellow roses my husband gave me for Mother's Day, and decided to try them in front of my stained glass window. Well....I liked that....and then....an "ah ha!" moment...my life in Christ is like my stained glass window...
My life was stained by sin and the world, but by the power of Christ's death that paid for my sin, His resurrection that gave me new and eternal life, and His transforming grace, He made me to be a window that can reveal the Light of Christ to the world.
God's truth says my life is hidden behind the beauty of Jesus Christ, just like the wood shop is hidden behind my stained glass window (Col 3:3 "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God). No matter how "pretty", "cute" or "plain", aren't you glad what really makes us beautiful is the life of Christ that shines through our earth suit? He takes broken pieces of glass, particles of sand heated in the furnace of a life...holds them together by the lead of His great promises, and uses His carpenter skills to frame us and use us to reflect His glory....beauty from ashes....
You know, scripture also says His light shines ON us and THROUGH us (Numbers 6:25; Matt. 5:14-16), I tried taking some pictures of my stained glass window without a flash, just to see if the light coming through the window would look brighter...but it didn't. The window needs light from both sides to demonstrate it's full beauty. Darkness on either side, blots out the intricacies of the glass. Daily looking at Jesus, His Word, meditating on His truth instead of myself, allows His light to shine on me and through me. Then my imperfections become opaque, letting His transforming light become the beauty that others see.
In my simple window, there are only two colors--amber and blue. The waviness of the glass' uneven surface though, allows the light coming through the medallion design to be transformed into a kaleidoscope of color, looking like many pieces of glass....much more complex than it really is. So the valleys and the mountain tops of my individual life are part of God's amazingly creative touch, that allow His character and glory to be revealed in me, a simple stained glass window....
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