Sand

This is what sand looks like up close, really, really close up. 

That coarse, irritating, and mundane sand holds a beauty that can simply not be seen with the naked eye.

And this is where my head when I as I contemplated this picture:

Many sermon analogies and life lessons have told us to consider the oyster. The oyster who, when a piece of sand find it's way past it's hard shell sets to work creating a beautiful pearl. Those messages encourage us to be like an oyster and turn our bad circumstance into something of beauty.

But looking at this picture, it seems to be that even the irritating, mundane, and even painful pieces of sand hold their own beauty. It is just we are too big and they are too small for us to see the glory without the help of a powerful microscope. 

Could it be that this is indicative our of lives? That even the painful things have a beauty that is hidden from our blind eyes? Even the mess, confusion, chaos, and ashes hold a potential for glory that is hidden by the foggy glass from which we view the world? 

Perhaps in heaven I will lean down to examine the story of the world with my Father and then in a moment I will see. Really see for the first time. See the beauty and the glory. When I am able to finally see behind the curtain majesty will overwhelm me. Completely.