“You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and formed me in my mother’s womb. Body and soul, I am marvellously made! I worship in adoration – what a creation! You watched me as I was being formed in the secret place, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book…” (Psalm 139)
Try to get hold of a tiny mirror-tile, about half an inch square (10-15 mm). They are often available in craft shops. Play with the mirror-tile. Let it reflect little glimpses of yourself and your surroundings. Let it catch the light.
It’s hard to remember, sometimes, that we are made in the image of God. Oh, I know that doesn’t mean we’re supposed to look like him! But non-the-less we reflect, even imperfectly, a glimpse of our perfect Creator. You must have noticed it at times in others, maybe in the twinkling eye of the elderly, or the joyful giggle of the baby.
Sometimes I have used mirrors in meditations and have been quite surprised how difficult some people find it to look at themselves. It’s true that in some ways we have fallen from the perfection in which we were designed. Sometimes parts of us are even damaged or distorted from what we would call perfect. But if we could only look objectively, our awesome complexity and delicacy would still be impossible to deny.
I once heard it said that, if God had a wallet, he would keep a photograph of you inside it. And he would show it with pride to anyone who asked. Because he not only loves you, he sees you through the eyes of love and considers you beautiful. If only we could ourselves as he sees us!
Look again in your mirror. Don’t try to see the full picture. Try to catch a glimpse. Take your time … Wait! There it is! A momentary glimpse of what God sees: the softness of an earlobe, the subtlety of the lip, the laughter lines around the eye, the sensuous sculpting of a nostril, the unique pattern of an eyebrow, the texture – whether smooth or complex – of the skin. What fascinating intricacy! He made it with care and love – in his image. It delights him.
Spend a few minutes coming to terms with the fact that you are beautiful to our loving God. You are precious. You are marvellously made.
Roger Makin