“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV)
My walking buddy has mentioned this verse to me a few times. Of course, we talk as we trek up and down the lane together, discussing the matters of life. We share our hearts and our hopes and attempt to make sense of the fallen world we live in. We circle round the things we don’t quite understand and we come back to this scripture.
There’s a window above my kitchen sink; it overlooks to the woods. It seem I’m always looking out it; pouring a cup of coffee or cutting up vegetables or scrubbing supper dishes. Long ago, Honey Hollow was home to Grandma Gussie and her surviving family tells stories of her pet fox. Apparently she’d put out scraps and this fox would visit often. He’d slip out of the forest and they’d share a moment, right there over the kitchen sink.
Silly as it is, I keep watching for that fox. I want to be friends, too. But try as I might, I can never get a good look: the kitchen window is filthy. An aged screen and filthy and forest fog obstruct my view. What I really need to do involves a stepladder, paper towels and glass cleaner, maybe even a re-screening.
The truth is; I am seeing through a glass darkly. I’m trying to make sense of the shadows, but the whole image is dingy and difficult to distinguish.
It occurs to me, my kitchen window is a great illustration of God’s truth. Our vision is affected by our humanity. Only we haven’t any tools to clean the glass. We must simply trust the Author of salvation. One day, He’ll take us to the other side of the pane and let us see clearly what He’s been up to all along. Today we know in part, but one day we’ll know in full. Until then, we enjoy the bits and pieces we can make out on this side of the glass.
Jesus reassured His disciples of this truth on the night of His betrayal. He was washing their feet (an act that had them scratching heads) and He lets them know that though there are many things they did not currently understand, one day they’d look back and it would all make sense.
“Jesus replied, “You do not realize no what I am doing, but later you will understand.” (John 13:7 NIV)
Another one of my new friends commentated on this exact text via Facebook yesterday. She wrote “I don’t know what He is doing but I am going to trust Him because this world is a bit floopy at times but I know He can make it unfloopy.”
Her use of the word floopy reminds me of my smudgy, smoggy kitchen window. So much of life is through a glass darkly. Like the disciples on that long, scary weekend, all we can do is pray and trust. And it turns out, that’s enough. That’s exactly what Jesus is asking us to do when we don’t understand. He’s going to remove the glass eventually. In His perfect timing, everything will be made it clear.
Lord, we struggle when we can’t see it clearly, when the glass is dim and the world is floppy. Today we are so grateful for the witness of the disciples, it’s clear they struggled too. We are comforted by their struggle and encouraged by Your words. Help us to trust and pray when the view gets murky. We are confident in Your ability to unfloopy. One day we’ll see clearly. One day we’ll know fully. Until then, we put all our hope in You. Amen.