Reflections on Reflections

There are many times in our everyday life when we catch sight of our own face. There are shop windows as we pass by, Zoom meetings … oh so many of them and, as our verse today suggests, when we see our reflection in water. These reflections are often somewhat distorted, but if we look into a perfect, well-illuminated bathroom mirror, we will get a more accurate likeness of our face. However, in this all revealing light, we will also find that our blemishes and wrinkles are highlighted. Sadly, there is no photoshop facility available!

But how do we see an accurate reflection of our heart? Our heart shows the truth about ourselves, as this scripture tells us. If we look at our heart’s reflection in the same way as we look in a mirror, the less than perfect parts will also be exposed. Do we really want to see our own heart, and, if so, how can we do that?

Our scripture today gives an analogy of seeing a reflection in water. So, could this give us a hint of how God wants us to see our heart’s true reflection? Water is an amazing part of God’s creation. Many of us find solace being beside water. The sound and sight of a stream or a bubbling brook often elicits feelings of tranquility. Even a water feature trickling constantly in the garden can prove to be soothing when we are stressed.

Yet, in Psalm 23, David tells us that the Shepherd  leads us beside still water, and it is here that He restores our souls. But, why is it specifically still water, not running water, which might seem more clean, inviting and restorative from our earthly perspective? Is it because only still water can reflect accurately the image of the one who looks into it? Could it be that looking into God’s still, deep water allows each of us to see a perfect reflection of our innermost being, not our physical face, but a spiritual image of our heart?

But what is God’s still water which allows this revelation of our heart, leading to a restoration of our souls? I suggest it is not a ‘what’, but a ‘who’. Jesus describes Himself as the water of life, and we know Him as the Prince of Peace. He is God’s perfect, unchanging, untroubled, still water. So, as we look into Him, we can see an  accurate image of ourselves. What we see reflected back is our true God-given identity. But, in His perfect light, we also see our heart’s blemishes; wounds and scars, blotches of sin and wrinkles of crooked thinking.

It is recognising that these do exist that is crucial for our restoration. Jesus’ light exposes these, not so we can be condemned, or assume we are just ugly, but so we can recognise our need of His healing and cleansing, deep in our hearts. It is so we can receive the fullness of the restoration Jesus alone offers. He is our Healer and Deliverer, and if we follow Him, our Good Shepherd, He will lead us into this restorative process,whilst we lie down and rest in green pastures of His provision.