Visual Aids

This morning I reheated one of yesterday morning's blueberry muffins in the microwave. I cut it while it was very hot and as I sliced off a slab of butter, I thought, "So that's what they really mean by 'a hot knife through butter'." Never before had the experience so visually impressed me. There are times when a visual aid puts plump flesh on the bare skeleton of words.

Visual aids can be God's ultimate teaching tools, like in baptism and the Lord's Supper. The sacraments are "visual proclamations" of His covenant promises and His atoning sacrifice.

And, sometimes, after years of prayer for chronic concerns, God demonstrates His love by sending an obvious answer to my prayers. It's as clear as if He wrote my name and His answer in neon lights in the night sky, but it's as personal as if He bent down to wrap His arms around me and whisper in my ear.

His clear answer is a visual aid that shows me His great love and the fulfillment of His covenant promises.