Oh Wow!

What if we got up in the morning and looked in the mirror…yawned and said, “Oh wow!” and then walked away, got dressed, and left our home without ever looking in the mirror for a second time? I am sure as we went about our day…others would either say or think, “Oh wow!” as well.

Now, if you are like me…that isn’t happening. I have many “Oh wow!” products lining my bathroom counter to help “offset” the “oh wow” effect that I have every morning when I first look into the mirror. In fact, I have an “Oh wow” lighted magnifying mirror soooo magnified that it allows me to see every “pore” individually. I can even look up my nose and see my brain….LOL…NOT. But you get the picture. When I get ready for my day, the mirror is a “huge tool” that helps me present my best self!!!! What does this have to do with scripture? A ton!

Turning to James 1:22-24 we read, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man [woman] who looks at his face in the MIRROR and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.” [emphasis mine]

Guilty. Yes, I am guilty of going to that lighted mirror every morning and looking intently and then forgetting what I saw. Sometimes what I see is so shocking and distasteful that it takes me a while with some of my “oh wow” products to become presentable for the day. I actually enjoy the process. It is not hard for me to sit there for a while until I feel I am presentable to the world. I even enjoy the last step with my “Oh wow” perfume so that I am not just looking good, but smelling good as well.

A few years ago while I was studying the book of James, there was a sudden conviction of my heart. I had an “OH wow!” moment as I started looking in the “magnifying mirror” of my actions…my faith…my choices…my influences…for me. It was the recognition that I was reading scripture and saying “Oh wow!” but then walking away…and forgetting. It was an “Ah ha! moment” for sure. I know that I know that up until then when I went about my day people were at least thinking, if not saying, “Oh wow!”

Isn’t it funny how as Christians we can get so self-absorbed at looking good on the outside but we neglect the inside which is the “most important” aspect of our lives. Our “Aroma of Christ”. How many times do I/you/ we walk away from what we read in scripture or what we hear in a message and we just forget? We like what we hear. We even have convictions/feelings of needing to change or turn, but for whatever reason we forget! James 1:25 teaches us, “the man who looks INTENTLY into the perfect law [God’s word] that gives freedom, and continues to do this, NOT FORGETTING what he has heard, but DOING IT—he will be blessed in what he does.” [emphasis mine]

Do you see?

I did.

I saw that I was missing the “blessings God had for me”.

It was a true, life-changing moment for me…life’s busyness (responsibilities)…other people’s voices…the unimportant…had my attention. Thus, impacting my decisions instead of God’s voice and His word impacting them.

Proverbs 4:23, “Above ALL ELSE guard YOUR heart because everything you do flows from it.” [emphasis mine]

I encourage you today…get your Bible…get a journal…and get alone. Seek God and HIS word.
Read INTENTLY.
Sit and listen INTENTLY.
Write down the areas that are “Oh wow” areas that need work…and change. Learn from me and my experience. Seek God’s best “yes”.

It starts with working on the insides. Allowing God to soften ours hearts to make a change in US…whether it is “giving up something that is an idol” or extending “forgiveness”. It could simply mean being kinder or more generous.

For me, it was becoming a better, more intent listener to God which required me to be STILL. If you know me at all, YOU know how difficult this was for me. The REWARD has been huge–two books and some to come, a blogging ministry, a speaking ministry and an intense JOY that I can’t really describe but I wish everyone to have.

The list that God will for sure give you to work on could include anything that is hindering God’s best for you. It certainly will be varying and different but the one thing I know for sure: if you ask with honest motives and a pure heart, HE will Grant. Our job is to NOT FORGET but To DO.

“Do” is the key word here. Good intentions get us nowhere. I encourage you today…be intentional about being INTENT! Remember: No one would remember the good Samaritan if he’d only had good intentions.

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