In Season 1, episode 9 of the show “This is Us,” the siblings are at a family cabin. There is all sorts of conflict swirling, but in the midst of it they’re trying to re-connect with one another as siblings and family. At one point, a brother is looking at an old Magic Eye poster on the wall, and another sibling says, “you still can’t see the picture?” Another sibling says, “remember what Dad used to say…look through and beyond.”
How often do we need to be reminded to ‘look through and beyond’ in order to see the image? How often do we get caught up studying the patterns that we CAN see, and totally miss the hidden picture of what is really there?
I was recently reflecting on these verses: “But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he cloth you–you of little faith! And do not keep striving for what you are to eat and what you are to drink, and do not keep worrying. For it is the nations of the world that strive after all these things, and your Father knows you need them. Instead, strive for his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:28-32).
“Do not KEEP STRIVING (see v. 29)…” What you eat and drink need not be the thing for which you are striving. Instead, look “through and beyond” what you need for eating and drinking and see the Kingdom.
I was definitely raised to regularly evaluate how well I was ‘seeking first the kingdom.’ But look what it says…
And do not keep worrying…it is your Father’s GOOD PLEASURE to GIVE YOU the Kingdom (12:32)
That’s it! The kingdom isn’t something we earn/obtain/find after sufficient seeking. It is not a result of our striving! The Kingdom IS what God takes pleasure and delight in giving God’s little flock. So maybe I need to stop wondering how well I am doing at striving for the kingdom. Maybe instead, I need to keep looking through and beyond, to the many ways God is giving the kingdom…because it is God’s good pleasure to do so. That’s the magic in the picture…that the kingdom is here. That’s the image that emerges as we look ‘through and beyond’…that the kingdom is here.
Remember what Dad used to say…look through and beyond…