Sometimes I feel convinced that this world is the real thing.  I think that I have seen the best and the worst.  That I have seen the possibilities of what may, might and won’t be.  That I have seen what is repairable and what cannot be fixed.  These realities appear very finite. These realities speak to limits.  When I am convinced that the world is the real thing, reality feels heavy and physical. 

In His wise and loving way, He turns me eyes upward and directs me to His glory.  To what is real.  I am reminded that our current lives are only a copy or shadow of what is real.  What is real is the kingdom of heaven where our true selves are visible in our glorified bodies.  Where light comes from the Living God.  Permeating, reflecting and shining so that what has been unseen in the world is plainly seen through the eyes of glory.

When I see the picture of real with my spiritual eyes, it puts the mundane, disappointments and troubles of this world in their proper place.  We are now only the black and white photocopy of our favorite color picture.  We currently have a matte finish that dims the color, brightness and glimmer of His glory in us.  But it will not be that way forever.

The black and white picture brings along with it the troubles and limitations of this world.  Although it feels very real, it is not real.  The race you are now running for God will eventually come out from under a shadow; and, for those who love Him, you will come out into true, genuine light.  It is a full color light that radiates because it is connected to the authentic source.  The appearance of this picture takes my breath away.  If I ever really sought to see the outward appearance of good, it must be this picture of glory that I can only see with my spiritual eyes.

Our current life lacks the luster of what is to come.  But shining depth is coming.  The real real will have the brightness and authenticity of His glory.  If I can remember that our current life is just copy and look upward to shadowless places, I can walk on air and sleep peacefully as life rages in its ebbs and flows.  If I can know that this life is only black and white, but see color in the Spirit, I can know the abundance of His power.  I can know that my Rock is a Deliverer who is not a copy.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which not see are eternal.  2 Corinthians 4:17.

For if He were on earth, He would not be a priest, since there are priests who offer the gifts according to the law; who serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things, as Moses was divinely instructed when he was about to make the tabernacle. For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain. But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.  Hebrews 8:4-6.