One Summer we went on a camping trip to the mountains. The fresh air and quiet always revives us! The triplets were having fun one day on the trip blowing bubbles. I grabbed my camera and began to take photos of them. I then noticed that the bubbles were reflecting the beautiful sunset that was occurring in the forest. I then turned my lens to the bubbles flying around and caught one bubble reflecting the forest. (This photo was not photoshopped, you can even see our trailer in the left side of the bubble) 

I love photographing things that reflect. Water, dew, puddles, mirrors and bubbles! The reflective quality of certain things always remind me of Grace. Why grace? Grace has a depth of meaning, but the one aspect of grace I am reminded of is it's "reflective quality".

Ephesian 2 1-9 says this "And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, in which you formerly walked according to the course of the world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that is now working in the sons of disobedience. Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and we were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest. BUT GOD, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. By Grace you have been saved, through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast".

This amazing passage paints a  picture of the "reflective quality of the world" and the "reflective quality of God' grace". I was that person "dead in my trespasses and sins" I was reflecting the world.

The word grace has many facets in the Greek. One is gift, another (and this is the one I am highlighting) is" The divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life. 

God's grace influenced my heart.

Remember I reflected the world living according to the lusts of my flesh. If you saw me 26 years ago you would not even recognize me. Homeless, abandoned & young I turned to many of the devices of this world for comfort. These additions led me down a wide path of destruction carrying me to death. In fact I was dead in my soul. I had no desire to change, I had no ability to do so. I could not remodel this broken down house I called a body. By grace I have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is a gift from God".

God's grace reflected in my life.

BUT GOD!! I love those two words. He being rich in mercy influence my heart and then reflected His grace. When people see me now they see the reflection of my Heaven Father's awesome grace.  Ephesians 1: 7-8 " In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace which He lavished on us..."

I can not take any credit for the condition I am in now. Even today I must point you to my Father if you see anything in me worth praising. God influenced my heart and now I am through His awesome power reflecting His amazing Grace!

Dorene Vandermeer