Blog Inspiration

Barb at A Chelsea Morning recently asked blogger folk to write a post answering the question:

"So what inspired your blog name?"

This phrase, "An Eye for Redemption", came to me in the late 1980s on a Sunday morning at church ... I felt it was from the Lord for me in specific and for others as well. As I reflected on it over the years I became convinced that life is all about redemption and often we miss it big time when we don't see hardship, trial and suffering through God's redemptive eyes. Really, pain makes no sense unless you believe that God can use it ... eventually ... for good ... to help another traveler ... to bring healing to someone's pain.

This message of redemption was made very real to me in the 1990s when I had to deal with my first wife's illness and death. I was tempted to stuff everything and go on like a good little Christian soldier ... which I did for a long time. I eventually became convinced to no longer allow that overwhelming, gut-wrenching agony to dominate and control me any longer. I started to live by this passage:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

At times I don't feel too comfortable or qualified to bring this message ... and at times I don't. I am often living in the pain of a moment ... trying to deal with my stuff ... yet often feel compelled to speak a word of encouragement to someone that is hurting. I think that it is the majestic, awe-inspiring, beauty of the Holy Spirit to use hurting people to help hurting people. I find that, by being transparent and vulnerable about my stuff, the Lord can take my pain and redeem it - but it is only when I do it with an eye for redemption. Having an eye for redemption will keep you from being self-focused, it will help you to see past people's outer pain and make a heart connection with them. I guess I'll close this post with the words that appear at the top of my blogsite:

In the seemingly most tragic events of history, and in particular our lives, God sees with an eye for redemption and works to bring beauty from ashes.
Jesus, help us to see with your eyes, so that, like You, we can be moved with compassion. Amen.