Actively Seeking

My family owns a glass shop. My grandpa, uncle, and cousin are all glassblowers. A few years ago, my cousin designed a glass ball called the "Crown of Thorns" lighted memory ball. Over break, I spent some time at the shop and I have found we most generally have 2 types of customers who buy this ornament in particular:

1. The customer who loves it because it lights up but doesn't know what the design is.

2. The customer who knows what the design is and resonates with it deeply.

This ball has a design that is supposed to resemble a crown of thorns and within the design is Jesus.

Whether you are in the market or not, I think you fall into one of these two categories, as well.

You either are attracted to the thing that is pretty and you miss Jesus in it, or you see Jesus for who He is and you're left in awe.

Which are you?

I'm not picking at one particular group or the other because I think we have all been in them both at one time. It is easy to get caught up in how something looks and how aesthetically pleasing it is compared to how meaningful it is. I am not cheapening God's presence in your life by this comparison. However, if we are not actively seeking Jesus and looking to exalt His name over all things, sometimes we can miss Him altogether. If we are seeking what is pleasing to the eye and popular, sometimes we forget that He wore the crown of thorns to save us from ourselves. If we aren't seeking God in all things, He is going to seem distant. But in reality, Jesus is as near as you wish for Him to be.

When we are actively seeking God's will, we will keep in remembrance the suffering Jesus endured, we will see His beauty, and we will be able to appreciate something that is both beautiful and meaningful. It really is that simple.

"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."- Hebrews 12:2

"If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me." - Jeremiah 29:13