Listen:
But, when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. (1Corinthians 13:10)
Reflect:
As I age, I am feeling the reality of being PARTIAL! Faithful and flawed, earnest and lazy, able and disabled…me, partial but loved. When I was young I could not imagine being old! I witnessed it in others but youth felt like it would last forever. Now, in my 60s, old is arriving and with it, changes and challenges that, I must admit, seem designed to point me even more toward the PERFECT ONE.
To know in part and to see in part is so great! It represents thoughts and experiences of the Almighty as we sense Him in creation, His Word, and through the love we give and receive from others. Walking with Jesus over a lifetime has offered me tastes of His goodness, glimpses of His face and beautiful moments of His love. They are blurry peeks at our Heavenly Father but even these breathe life and form who we are in Christ.
But someday, when the PERFECT comes the PARTIAL will become obsolete! Why?
Because ALL will be made WHOLE when the HOLY ONE comes! No longer will we see dimly but face to face with our King — and ALL that is PARTIAL will be made whole!
Prayer of Response:
Thank you, Father, for Your love and faithfulness. Help me to keep leaning my PARTIAL on Your PERFECT. You do not grow old but remain fully able to complete the work of grace you’ve begun in me. Amen.
Questions to Ponder:
- Where do you get glimpses of God?
- What helps you lean on God?
- God does not grow old?
- How does that truth make you feel?
Breath Prayers:
Join us in praying breath prayers each day. We invite you to write your own as well.
Inhale(Breathe in): I lean on You,
Exhale(Breathe out): Perfect Lord.
(Repeat)
—Submitted by: Judy Villanueva. Judy lives with her husband in Colorado. She completed her masters at Fuller Theological Seminary, is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Spiritual Director, and writer. Her Bible reflections can be found an judyvillanueva.com/blog