One of my favorite childhood toys was the simple
cardboard tube with bits and pieces of colorful plastic inside. I could turn
the small outer ring slowly and watch the myriad of colorful shapes appear.
Even trying as hard as I could, I never seemed able to create the same colorful
pattern more than once. The variety of patterns seemed endless. The bits and
pieces of plastic inside were not always distinguishable. I vaguely recall
seeing a small red heart, and perhaps a yellow diamond shape; but other than
that, the pieces seemed random and undefined. The tiny pieces were not always
colorful by themselves; some pieces seemed bright, but others seemed dark. I
also recall trying to count how many bits there were, but I could never hold
the Kaleidoscope still long enough to count them before pieces would shift and
a new pattern would appear.
It may seem a little corny, but to me, this is an
excellent metaphor for our daily lives. Our lives are a collection of emotions
and activities—always shifting, and always changing. Each day brings bright
times or dark times, happiness or sadness, joy or sorrow. Some days we are too
busy to notice the time fly by, other days the minutes drag by in slow motion.
For the Christian, our one point of consistency is
God Almighty. He fully understands all
the negative bits and pieces of our lives:
Job
7:4 (NIV): When I lie down I think, “How long before I get up?” The
night drags on, and I toss till dawn.
Psalm
38:8 (NIV): I am feeble and utterly crushed; I groan in anguish of
heart.
Psalm
39:2 (NIV): …I was silent and still, not even saying anything good…
Psalm
94:18-19 (NIV): When I said, “MY foot is slipping…” ; When anxiety was
great within me…
Again, for the Christian, our one point of
consistency is God Almighty. He never grows weary and he is always available to
us when we call to him. Not only does he fully understand all the negative bits
and pieces of our lives, he is the one who provides our source of joy and
strength to keep going. God balances the negative bits and pieces in our lives
with positive ones.
Psalm
4:8 (NIV): I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O LORD,
make me dwell in safety.
Psalm
34:18 (NIV): The LORD is close to the broken hearted and saves those
who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm
40:3 (NIV): He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
Psalm
94:18-19 (NIV): …your love, O LORD, supported me. ; …your consolation
brought joy to my soul.
When we take time to study the scriptures, we can
find so many contrasts such as the few I have provided. I think the point is
simply that our Heavenly Father knows what a Kaleidoscope of emotions and
activities our lives have become. Through it all, he is there, waiting for us
to come to him and trust him as our true source of consistency.
Psalm
90:1-2 (NIV): Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all
generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and
the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.
To this day I still do not completely understand
the science and mathematics of the reflective parts placed at specific angles
that it requires for Kaleidoscopes to create such beautiful displays. But I do
know this, God is able to take all the random bits and pieces of our lives and
reveal the inner beauty within each life.
Respectfully written and submitted by:
Dotty Willmon, Resurrection Christian—looking
forward to the Blessed Hope of Christ’s return!
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