Last week I talked about going to the doctor. This week, I thought I'd talk about going to the optometrist. Ha. Yes, I recently went there too. It has been several years since either Chrissy or I have had our eyes tested. It was no surprise that both our prescriptions had changed and we set out to purchase new glasses. I love my new glasses. They're lighter than the old ones. Slightly larger so I have a greater range of vision and I think we got a pretty good deal (although I've recently learned that the eye-wear industry is basically a huge monopoly controlled by one company in Italy...but that's another story). But my new glasses do one more important thing...they help me see better! It's subtle, but I can notice that I can see clearer with my new glasses. Imagine that :) I remember years ago my dad complaining about his glasses not feeling right on his face. As he wore glasses all the time, he kept wearing them and they continued to bother him. After this went one for quite awhile, he took them off and noticed that the nose pad was MISSING. They were bothering him because there was a piece of metal stabbing him in the nose. Of course, he promptly got them fixed.
These simple stories about vision remind me of what it means to see through eyes of faith. There are times, in a spiritual sense, when we get new glasses. The most significant being when we received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and we see the world through new eyes. And there are times of spiritual renewal, when God speaks to us and we catch a fresh glimpse of who He is through eyes of faith. But just as with physical glasses, our lenses get dirty over time, perhaps they break and need repair or we need to get a new prescription because our vision has become clouded. I've seen this in my own life. Things that once gave me great joy don't anymore because I don't see them the same way.
Faith is seeing things from God's perspective. Do you remember Elisha and his servant when they were under siege in 2 Kings 6:13-18? Elisha's servant looked outside and saw that the city was surrounded with horses and chariots. But Elisha wasn't concerned, saying, "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (6:16). The servant must have been confused at Elisha's words, because when he looked outside he saw a strong army bent on their capture. But then Elisha prayed and said, "Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see" (6:17). The an imagine unfolded that sparks the imagination and strengthens the heart. "Then the LORD opened the servants eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (6:17).
When you look at your life, your church, your world...what do you see? Do you need new glasses?
"I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side"
"Whom Shall I Fear" by Chris Tomlin
These simple stories about vision remind me of what it means to see through eyes of faith. There are times, in a spiritual sense, when we get new glasses. The most significant being when we received Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, and we see the world through new eyes. And there are times of spiritual renewal, when God speaks to us and we catch a fresh glimpse of who He is through eyes of faith. But just as with physical glasses, our lenses get dirty over time, perhaps they break and need repair or we need to get a new prescription because our vision has become clouded. I've seen this in my own life. Things that once gave me great joy don't anymore because I don't see them the same way.
Faith is seeing things from God's perspective. Do you remember Elisha and his servant when they were under siege in 2 Kings 6:13-18? Elisha's servant looked outside and saw that the city was surrounded with horses and chariots. But Elisha wasn't concerned, saying, "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them" (6:16). The servant must have been confused at Elisha's words, because when he looked outside he saw a strong army bent on their capture. But then Elisha prayed and said, "Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see" (6:17). The an imagine unfolded that sparks the imagination and strengthens the heart. "Then the LORD opened the servants eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha" (6:17).
When you look at your life, your church, your world...what do you see? Do you need new glasses?
"I know who goes before me
I know who stands behind
The God of angel armies
Is always by my side"
"Whom Shall I Fear" by Chris Tomlin
RSS Feed