Picture in Picture

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

This morning I was having my Quiet Time. I read my daily psalm from the Bible. This particular Bible has been with me a long time. I often underline verses or write in the margins when God has applied His truth to me that day. I have a lot of this marginalia throughout the book of Psalms.

Often when I see those notes in the margin, I relive the pain that I was experiencing at the time. This morning I saw this note from September 2008--Dad's declining health. My Dad passed away last year on May 8, 2009 at the age of 86. God often spoke to me through the psalms during my Dad's last years on earth.

If your child was in pain, you would hold your child until the tears stopped. In later years, would you want that child to remember the pain or to remember the comfort and love of your embrace?

Earlier this year, we had a prayer seminar at our church. One of the speakers talked about two ways of looking at life as a believer. We can view life from the earthly perspective or from God's perspective (the spiritual realm). He gave an image that has helped me to visualize this reality. It is like a television that allows the picture-in-picture option. You watch one program but at the same time there is a small screen in the corner that allows you to keep tabs on another program. You can switch between screens. (I often did this while watching the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.)

This morning as I saw the note about my Dad's declining health, I remembered the pain (and the grief and sorrow I still feel because of my Dad's passing). However, this morning I suddenly could see things from God's perspective. On that day in September 2008, I poured out my heart to God. I asked Him for comfort and HE GAVE IT TO ME. It meant so much to me that I wrote in the margin of the psalm because I heard God's voice that day.

Picture in picture--when I see my notes in the margins of my Bible, I should look at it from God's perspective:

"My daughter is hurting today. She is crying out to me for help. I will speak to her through the Bible and through my Holy Spirit. Listen, my darling. I love you."

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After today, when I see the notes in my Bible about my pain or need, I will remember that each note is also a reminder that my loving Heavenly Father heard my cry and spoke to me that day.

I want to share some of my spiritual journey with you. So today I am starting this new blog. This one will be about my picture-in-picture learning. I live on this earth but I want to switch to God's viewpoint more often.

Feel free to comment and share your journey with me as well.