About 30 years ago the congregation I served decided to put stained glass windows in the sanctuary. They had none at the time. The project included three phases. The first window was on the back wall that faced the major thoroughfare. The second was on the front wall, over the chancel area. The final phase was several windows on the side wall that faced another street. We worked with IHS Studios out of Fredericksburg, Texas, and it was a wonderful experience.

Because the name of the congregation is Grace Lutheran Church, it was decided that the theme of the window over the chancel that would be “The Means of Grace,” the ways God offers and gives us the forgiveness Jesus earned for us. The picture shows the window, with a shell and drops of water depicting Baptism, a chalice and wafers for the Lord’s Supper, and an open Bible.

Not long after the window was installed, someone asked me why there was a party dress in the window. I didn’t know what she was talking about. She pointed to the shell and said “Isn’t that a little girl’s party dress.” That is one of those things that once you see it, you can’t unsee it.

That is how I feel about the Good News of Jesus. Once the Spirit of God works in you to help you understand and believe that Jesus has paid for all of your sin with His life and death, you can’t “unsee” it. It is always there, even when you stumble and fall, even when the storms hit, even when you feel despair. Remember what you have seen in the face of Jesus.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.

We have seen God’s glory, His love made flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. He gave His all to rescue us from the punishment our sin deserves. That is the best news ever. We can’t unsee it. But wait…there’s more.

1 Corinthians 2:9 However, as it is written: “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him”—

What we have seen is overwhelmingly wonderful. But God tells us through Paul, “You ain’t seen nothing yet…”