Stay This Moment, Pt. 1: Seeing God in the moments of our lives.

"Photography, alone of the arts, seems perfected to serve the desire humans have for a moment - this very moment - to stay." ~ Sam Abell

The pastor of the church I attend has been going through the final chapters of Genesis, which chronicle the life of Joseph - his prophetic dreams, being sold into slavery, ending up in prison, and ultimately rising to such a position in Egypt that only Pharaoh was above him in all the land.

He (our pastor) made a point to mention the gap of time that passed for Joseph from his brother's betrayal to his seeing them again in Egypt to be around 20 or more years, once you take into account his 13 years in prison and the 7 years of plenty before the years of famine. From 17 to well into his 30's Joseph experienced being sold into slavery, imprisonment, and enduring living in a foreign land. Before he was released from prison, it would be easy to think that the prime years of his life were in a worldly sense a complete waste. Even after, I wouldn't be surprised if he wondered what it all was for.

Yet, if you're familiar with the account you know that, for a lack of better words, all is well that ends well. Through the work and plan of God, Joseph is reconciled to his family, they are all saved and brought into Egypt, and the rest is history. The purpose behind years of disappointment, difficulty, and despair were brought into focus in Joseph's wonderful words to his brothers: "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good".

"As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive." - Genesis 50:20 NASB

A friend took this snap of me overlooking Dream Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. That certainly was an enjoyable memory.

I've found in my life that I am a person who looks back sometimes (often) at my life. Moments and seasons, all of which I ponder. That's not necessarily a good thing mind you, as Solomon observes in Ecclesiastes 7:10.

Paul didn't look back, but instead focused on what lies ahead: "Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14 NASB.

Certainly these are valuable guardrails for our reminiscing.

Yet we also see memorials as common place in Scripture. The O.T. saints would put up monuments in locations where they encountered God. The Psalmist recalls past events where God moved in their lives or in the nation of Israel.

And so there is a danger in looking back too much, losing focus on who and what we ought to be now, in this moment. But it is good to see the hand of God in our lives, especially when we forget the work He has done and how He has helped us in the past. I guess then it's a matter of Biblical balance, with our eyes staying fixed on the hope that lies before us.

The reality is, I think a lot of us, in some form or another, hold on to certain moments in life. We memorialize birthdays, engagements, weddings, world events, and other stand out moments.

Quite frankly, photography is built entirely around that idea. We try to capture a single moment in time into an image. Portrait and wedding photographers make a living off of that very concept. People enjoy trying to keep those moments alive in a picture, whether it be a wedding or graduation, or a season in the life of a family. We thrive on "moments". And yet, even printed on paper, moments are so fleeting.

Even for me as a nature photographer, I desire to capture moments. A mountain in and of itself is interesting, but it's those times of exciting weather, or serene sunsets that make it something that stands out.

Years later we can look back at a photograph and it brings to life many memories.

Sometimes, though, the memories we look back on are not pleasant, or they remind us of a season that was difficult or sad. We can dwell on these things and lose our focus on what's important.

Just documenting a stretch of trail. It's amazing that just a split second glance at this image reminded me of an entire series of events. A picture really does say a thousand words.

Recently I went through some old photos and came across one of just a random stretch of trail in Grand Teton national park. But it immediately brought to mind an encounter I had on that trail. I briefly talked to a girl who was dealing with cancer. I'll be honest, I can't recall what comfort, encouragement, or Scriptural help, if any, that I gave her. I'm certain I have prayed for her at points in time. But did I have any impact on her? Is she okay? I have no way to know on this side of eternity.

And how many moments like that have happened in my life in the past twenty years. In short, has my life been used of God to make a difference? Why twenty years? I imagine that Joseph could've looked back at any point during that period and thought that his life amounted to nothing. Not even the cupbearer cared enough to remember him (until later in the story of course). How could he make a difference as a prisoner?

I know for me, the moments I cherish most are relational. Yes, I've had incredible adventures and experiences in life. But, ultimately, it's the relationships that hold the most weight. Whether it's family, friends, sharing the gospel with a stranger, or moments in prayer to God, these relational times have a special place in our hearts and memories.

I'm not sure that we can capture them in an image, that we can have that very moment to stay, etched in stone.

But as the moments line up, one day may we be able to look back at them and see what God was doing in each and everyone of them, and even amidst the dark times or in spite of our intentions or failings, say along with Joseph "... but God meant it for good..."