Good Shepherd Lutheran Church / Friday, February 26, 2021 / Categories: Publications, Daily Devotions Daily Devotion by Kellie Grabenbauer by Kellie Grabenbauer 1 Corinthians 13:12 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. I see it every morning in my preschool classroom. My class of almost 3-year olds gather (but well spaced) for snack. We wash our hands, find the placemat with our name on it, and sing our prayer. That’s when it happens. For the first time since they hopped out of their cars, their face masks come off! The transformation is immediate. They smile and giggle just to see each other’s full faces. They talk over the merits of Cheezits versus pretzels. Tell a story about a pet. Point out “My Mommy!” on the photo wall. Their voices are a little louder, their eyes a little brighter, and their words a little more confident. They pass love around our table. We call this our Smile Break and it’s honestly my favorite part of the day. Even as toddlers, they know what it is to fully SEE and fully be SEEN! Maybe you’ve had a similar experience; at Kroger, at the office, or in the church parking lot. At the December Caroling Service, I approached someone who looked vaguely familiar; with a face mask and winter wear. Her body language indicated she clearly knew me and she was talking with my family. It wasn’t until I heard her voice that it clicked: Pastor Alice! That moment of recognition and of BEING recognized struck me. These two stories are really about the same thing. It’s what I struggle with as a believer in Christ. I want to SEE God, to HEAR His voice, and to be RECOGNIZED by HIm. I’ll admit it. I want to KNOW “THE PLAN”. When I’m told that there are things I can’t know, or that I can’t even begin to understand in this life? That’s uncomfortable for me. Frustrating. Maybe it is for you too. It’s easy to view this uncertainty as a lack of attention on His end, or maybe a lack of faith on my own. The verses on love from 1 Corinthians 13 resonate for me. They reassure me. The partial understanding, the partial recognition? It’s only temporary. But face to face? When we’ll see fully and are fully seen? When we’ll hear His voice and are heard? WOW! It will be like snack time at the toddler table! He’s set place cards with our names. We’ll look at each other in amazement and joy. We’ll smile and giggle and point out “OUR FATHER!” We’ll be louder, brighter, and confident in the Kingdom. We will pass around some perfect love. Until then, I’ll work on the process of learning and growing in part. I’ll wait in the promise of knowing in full. Previous Article Daily Devotion Next Article Daily Devotion Print 7490 Rate this article: 5.0 1 comments on article "Daily Devotion" Danelle Buelsing Kellie, this Bible verse has always been a little confusing to me, but your analogy made sense of it beautifully. Thank you! 2/27/2021 12:22 AM Reply to Leave a comment Name: Please enter a name. Email: Please enter an email address. Please enter a valid email address. Comment: Please enter comment. I agree This form collects your name, email, IP address and content so that we can keep track of the comments placed on the website. For more info check our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use where you will get more info on where, how and why we store your data. You must read and accept this rules. Add comment
Danelle Buelsing Kellie, this Bible verse has always been a little confusing to me, but your analogy made sense of it beautifully. Thank you! 2/27/2021 12:22 AM