The Lake

A short while ago I was at a retreat day run by Oxford Diocese.

During the day there were stations we could spend time at reflecting, thinking and praying. Whilst at one of these stations, based around water and there was a picture there that really struck me and spoke to me about my life and my faith. It was a picture much like the one below.

 

What struck me when I first looked at the photo was the reflection. That just by looking at the reflection in the lake I could tell what the scenery was. I didn’t actually need to look at anything but the reflection to tell what was beyond the lake. However, my eyes are instantly drawn from the reflection because I want to see the real deal – I want to see what the reflection hints at in all it’s glory.

This then got me thinking about my life & my faith. Our aim, as Christians, should be to mirror Jesus in everything – our words, thoughts & deeds- so that our lives are a reflection of his.

Not only that but like my thinking with the lake, the reflection of Jesus in us shouldn’t point to us, but to the real deal. We want those around us to find themselves drawn to Jesus. We want them to see Him in us and long for the reality, not just the mirror image.

Not an easy aspiration, but an entirely valid & worthy one. If, like me, you sometimes struggle to uphold this then maybe here are a few pointers:

1. Get stuck into His word.
   How are we meant to know how to look like God if we don’t know what He looks like or expects of us? We need to read the Bible, and act on what we read.
2. Spend regular time with Him.
   I’m not talking about 4 hours a day here – but make sure that God has a priority in your life. I try to carve out one morning a week as part of my work so I can hang out with God.
3. Do this in community.
   I think it’s impossible to do all of this individually. We need others to build us up, to call us out, to hold us accountable. This isn’t a journey we are meant to walk alone – so lets keep doing it together.