A Mirror of that Greater Glory

The Fountain

I took this picture awhile ago and sent it to a close friend of mine (also a professional photographer) who edited it. This is the original version below.

See the difference? What strikes me every time I look at these two photographs, is that they are exactly the same photo but one has had the touch of one who knew what he was doing. Both also have the mark of one who is inept. I compare myself to the original photo, I am a reflection of something glorious, made in the image of God (Gen. 1:27), I have potential. But I am dull and out of focus (like the woman in the bottom right corner...). I desperately need a Savior, I need to be made new. I hold the promise of new life in Christ without a doubt. I have been saved from death and from my sin, a Christian since age 4, but I am far from what I ought to be.

As a saved man, I have been commanded to be perfect. Perfect....oh dear, what am I to do! Is this perfection attainable? Well yes and no. I will never be perfect in this life, but I will be perfected, slowly but painfully, until that day comes when I am called to glory. The journey to that perfection, what we call sanctification, is brought about by the Holy Spirit, the helper that Christ promises us. It is the making of a reflection more and more like what it reflects. I am becoming more like that which I am made to be. I have a long way to go too, or so I think. What startles me is that appearances are not what they seem.

Joshua Eddy, the young man who took the potential of the above photograph to its best and brightest in this world, has attained that perfection. His time being sanctified in this world was compete on May 5th, 2012 at 3:30pm in the Rogue river. I didn't think he was ready to go and I didn't want him to go either. That decision was God's decision to make though, not mine; but, I sure would have put in my two cents. "Psst, God, Josh isn't ready." But boy was he ever.

He, just like myself, was an ordinary photograph that needed to be made new. His sins were forgiven, just like mine by the same blood of the same Son of God. He, like myself, began that process of becoming like Christ at Salvation, but he was done sooner. He now reflects his Savior as he was created to, he now knows the glory of God like no one on this earth. I can't accelerate my growth rate to match his because that isn't my choice. But I must always be ready now, because no man knows when he will pass be it to damnation or perfection, one can know which, but never when. 

I am a photo, a mere reflection of my maker I am faded and dim. Sometimes I get out of focus. On that day when I will bear His righteousness before the throne of God as perfect a reflection of my Savior as is unimaginable to the human mind, for that day I must be ready. Do I reflect him to the world as best I can, or do pass myself off as "just another photograph about what I'm not sure?"