See Him

We are back from our wonderful weekend at the Above Rubies retreat. Hannah, Casey, our good friend Tara and our new good friend Patty and I rode together. We all jumped in our Suburban and drove through drones of slow traffic to get to the Black Lake Bible Camp outside Olympia. It is always very refreshing to be around ladies who love the Lord, believe in family and the blessings of children. But as much as we have in common, if you take a good look at all the ladies at the retreat, you would see a lot of differences. There was everything from nose rings to headcoverings, and everything in between. It is very apparent. You know the differences.
Saturday morning I was reading 1 Corinthians 2. I have a KJV and AMP parallel bible and I read verse 2 in the AMP version. It says,

For I resolve to know nothing (to be acquainted with nothing, to make a display of the knowledge of nothing, and to be conscious of nothing) among you except Jesus Christ (the Messiah) and Him crucified.

This verse was one of those verses that just stuck like glue in my head. I was thinking along the lines of it's meaning being, only thinking about Christ, only having knowledge of Christ. But this morning when I read it again it finally hit me. "Among you".
"Oh Lord, I get it!" To see only Christ in others. Turn off the judgement of the outside, the denominations, the doctrines, the differences and see Christ only.
This just excites me! OK, I know, it basic. But it's huge! Can I do it? Can I look at you and see Christ only? It's a struggle in our human minds but with Christ in us it is possible. I wish now I could go back and look at each one of those women and see Christ. Not that I didn't but I saw more of the outside that Christ. I am challenged.

The other huge thing that happened to me this weekend was that I went to be ministered to. I went because I thought I needed a retreat. What I found when I got there was, I lost myself. There were so many other needs, women hurting, struggling, suffering. Women in need of prayer and compassion. I really forgot about my needs, they seemed so small. I felt energized when we prayed for these women. I felt free from my struggles. I came back refreshed. Yes, Nancy ministered to my heart but it was in a different way than I expected. I can hardly articulate it. It was like my emotions vanished and my God took over. I was blessed.

I am but a handmaid for my God, I am but a vessel for His plan. You are too. I pray that this is what we can see in each other.
Blessings,
Lori