Is your ‘lens’ helping you see correctly?

Faith series devotional

This past Sunday we looked at what worldview we have in our lives. In essence this becomes the basis or ‘lens’ through which we view the world. Its hard for faith to grow beyond a limiting worldview. A distorted worldview will change the trajectory of our hopes, motivation and intentions. It couldn’t be more important to have a Biblical worldview!

Here are a summary of the key points from Sunday

1. Genesis 32 and Romans 1 – we see the ‘golden calf’ is mirrored into a New Testament context. Idols are not just little buddha statues. When we ‘exchange the glory’ of our immortal God for a ‘created’ thing we end up ‘reducing’ and ‘exchanging’ who God really is for something that we feel we can manage or understand better. Not a good idea!
2. ‘Tale of two trees’ – the Genesis narrative – the Tree of the knowledge of good and evil had enticing fruit but was not the tree of life. God’s invitation and indeed His command is for us to choose the way of life found by living in Him and for His original design and intent for His creation. Yes we are His creation. He is not our creation. We don’t get to mould God into a golden calf that we call ‘Yahweh’, as Israel did! We are designed to be God’s image bearers. We need to trust God that His ways are higher, and as we ‘worth-ship’ Him we become more like Him but when we ‘worth-ship’ something else (eg being liked, a relationship, wealth, success, being admired, feeling secure etc.) then we take on this persona in our character. This lens will then distort our witness as image-bearers to the world.
3. What (who?) is at the centre of our worldview? Simple question, difficult answer. The journey of discipleship is one of growing into Christ-likeness. God is more committed to this transformation in us than we are. It’s not possible, according to Jesus, to be His disciple unless we pick up our cross ‘daily’ and follow Him. It’s not discipleship on our terms. It’s a life lived in Him and through Him, just like the choice that was presented in the Garden of Eden – we still have a choice between the ‘trees’. We still have a choice as to whether we will be a generation with the knowledge and worship of God as our foundation and worldview, OR, our own lens. It’s that simple. So who and what is at the centre of your worldview? Is it God or is God just the lever to get what your deepest desires and vision craves?

Reflect:

Do you understand the ‘beginnings’ in Genesis? Have a look at Genesis 1 and 2 to understand our role as image-bearers. How is being a child of God through salvation in Jesus Christ a restoration of this original design? How might our worldview need to shift to have a truly Biblical narrative at the centre, rather than a merely cultural or nominal worldview? What lens are you and I living by day to day, year by year? Come to the Lord today with anything that you know needs to change so that you can grow IN HIM.