I’ve posted some stunning images in this blog over the past few weeks, and I appreciate all the interest and the positive comments. Thanks; I’m glad to be able to share such beauty in this space, and I plan to continue to capture the occasional slice of vibrant life when I can frame it through a camera lens.

But a photograph is only one way of seeing. We see with our eyes, yes; but it is also possible – not just possible but necessary – to see with the soul. Looking from – and into – our souls is what Jesus was talking about when he pointed out how little of substance we actually see with our eyes… or hear with our ears.

Pretty photographs are great; but seeing and hearing from the soul is why I’m a writer first.

Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?

I love this passage from Mark 8. Yes, it’s short, and I’d recommend reading the entire chapter to get a “read” on what Jesus was responding to and what he was saying. But I wanted to highlight the Great Teacher’s “duh” reference about his disciples – and all of us – having eyes but not seeing, and having ears yet failing to hear.

Jesus is a master teacher, and he often points out that we allow our senses to stop short, on the surface, and that we fail to plumb the depths of meaning. A photograph can be pretty, or even stunningly beautiful; but Jesus invites us to “see” with our souls too.

I believe the shining surface of a photograph is a metaphor sometimes for our limited spirituality. We settle for the show, an experience that is aesthetically pleasing and makes us feel good for the moment; when what we really need is to wrestle with God, to soak in the reality of the Spirit’s presence, to take our faith with us into the nitty-gritty of everyday struggle, to invite Jesus to be our teacher as well as our friend, to be challenged as much as we are charmed.

• What we really need is to wrestle with God;
• to soak in the reality of the Spirit’s presence;
• to take our faith with us into the nitty-gritty of everyday struggle;
• to invite Jesus to be our teacher as well as our friend;
• to be challenged as much as we are charmed.

But God said to Samuel: “The Lord sees not as man sees; man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

If you enjoy my photographs then I also want you to spend a little extra time with the words. My whole point here is to challenge everyone who stops by to invite God into every detail of life. Don’t just look at the water, when the Spirit is also inviting you to dive in.

Go on. Dive in. -DEREK