Staring Blindly at the Reflection of God

While Handel was composing the famous Hallelujah Chorus of the Messiah, he was reported to have said "I have seen the face of God" (reference 1).

Handel was able to see God's face (or rather, God's reflection) in what he was doing, as a moment of revelation where God allowed a brief glimpse of Himself.

The reason I say "reflection" is that staring directly at God would most likely be too much for us. To use a secular analogy, it would be much like looking directly at the basilisk in the Harry Potter books. Our human bodies could not handle it.  Instead I believe a reflection? transformation? - a glimpse of God taken sideways through another lens (nature, music, art, science, love, and so on) is the closest we can get to seeing God in this world and still live in it. Continuing with our analogy, this is much like seeking the basilisk of Harry Potter by looking in mirrors and reflections so as not to happen upon it in deadly full face.

Handel had the fortune to see this rare and precious glimpse of God's reflection within the music he was composing.  However, some other men have not recognized God's reflection, even when they have literally been staring at it.

This is seen frequently in the sciences.  My husband and I were watching a DVD lecture series by a prominent scientist.  This scientist marveled openly at the beauty and complexity of the natural world.  During the series however, he was making negative comments about religion, and I suspect this was because he believed there was not sufficient evidence for him to believe in religion.  He was just stating what he thought was true, based on his observations.

Yet this man, this scholar, has seen further than most.  His sharp mind grasps the most complex of topics.  On top of that, he has a true gift for teaching - he can distill the most abstract and difficult of ideas and express them in a way that an everyday man or woman can understand.

Despite seeing further than most, this unusually gifted man has not seen what is right in front of him when he speaks: the reflection of God seen in the lens of world around us.  Every day this man marvels at the world we live in and how it fits together.  He is staring, some might say, at a reflection  - a tiny glimpse - of God.  But unlike Handel, he does not recognize this for what it is.

In truth, this man has indeed seen further than most.  But his real danger is not that he has seen too much.  It is that he has not seen far enough.

Cited sources:
1. "George Frederic Handel and the Story of the Hallelujah Chorus" on Daily Piano Tips

If you found this post interesting, you might also like these related posts on this blog:




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Organized religion and why it is important

The church is a hospital for sinners, not a museum of saints All too frequently, organized religion (i.e. a church) can seem pointless and boring.  I certainly found it this way before I started reading the Bible.  Often, the lack of interest in church may be caused by one of two main things: 1. The person has had a bad experience previously in organized religion 2. The person feels uncomfortable about realizing that they are a sinner In the case of the first problem, it is quite possible that differences in Christian denominations has confused the person.  It is confusing!  It is important to go to a church whose teachings are in line with the Bible.  Identifying such a church oneself does require a) attending a church and b) reading the Bible. In the case of the second problem, that isn't actually a problem at all for attending church.  All of us are sinners.  It is as simple as that. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23 Organized relig
Read more

Why Do Atheists Shout So Loudly When They Believe the Stakes are Lower?

When it comes to religious matters, we Christians believe our very souls are at stake.  Atheists do not believe there is anything so serious at stake.  Anyone would therefore expect that Christians would shout their message the loudest, since they believe there is the most at stake.  However, it seems that both 'shout' similarly loudly.  Why is that?    Both camps genuinely believe that their version is the underlying truth (although of course, both cannot be right).  Therefore, both camps have the truth at stake; they think of themselves as campaigners for the truth.  In addition, Christians believe our souls are at stake.  Why then do atheists shout so loud when they believe there is less at stake?   This is a question which is difficult to answer.  However, we should be aware that Christianity can actually benefit from these loud shoutings of the atheists.  Why is that? It is because the atheists give us specific things to refute. Much more dangerous for Christianity i
Read more

Jesus saves EVERYONE who accepts him. Salvation is available for ALL HUMANS

Some people think that Jesus is just for certain people but not for them. Nothing could be further from the truth! Jesus came for all people. No-one is beyond salvation, no matter what they have said and done in the past, no matter their social standing, no matter how disliked or well-liked they are by others. If they believe in Jesus and repent of their sins, they are saved. Here are some verses that prove that Jesus came for all people . Thus says the Lord God, who gathers the outcasts of Israel, I will gather others to them besides those already gathered. Isaiah 56:8 The above verse shows that even those who might consider themselves outcasts, or those who others might consider outcasts, are still gathered to God. Do not let the foreigner joined to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely separate me from his people’; and do not let the eunuch say, ‘I am just a dry tree.’ For thus says the Lord: To the eunuchs who keep my sabbaths, who choose the things that please me
Read more