What is this "Images And Expressions" you speak of?

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves.  For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror.  You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like.”   James 1: 22-24

You have heard it - “A picture says a thousand words”.   That is a true statement – if we allow ourselves to actually look at the picture.  We live our lives at such a fast paced, technology driven, instant gratification way that we seem to rarely take time to examine the interesting things right in front of us.  I’ve noticed that I can skim through pictures so quickly and then I never really see what I was really looking at.  If I go back and look at the same pictures in a more thoughtful and intentional manner, I bet the image would look completely different to me and mean so much more. 

It reminds me of the verse in James about looking in the mirror and then forgetting what you look like.  I’ll be the first to admit guilt in this area.  How about you?  There have been many times when I am frustrated with myself for not slowing down enough to think about what is going on around me -to really be in the moment of this time in my life.  How many of us turn around and realize that our children have suddenly grown up and in our mind they are still 6? I don’t want to miss what God has in store for me at this moment in life.  It occurs to me that when I am actually doing what He tells me to in His Word and really taking that in, my life slows down a bit.  I remember that things aren’t always about my timing, but His timing.  It helps me to focus and gain perspective – His perspective.

So when my friend, Caprice, told me she was going to start sending me pictures she had taken as a project for herself, I had an idea.  What if (a 2 word phrase that tends to lead in creativity) I take a moment to actually “look” at those pictures as she sends them and see what they might bring up in my mind?  Perhaps God will put something interesting (and He is always interesting) on my heart to write that pertains to these pictures.  I hope the words and pictures speak to your heart too.