“Open my eyes so that I can see all the wonderful things in your teachings.” Psalm 119:18

This God’s Truth came to me as I was talking with a friend about this little episode.

As I looked at a picture of a painting the other day, granted I didn’t have my glasses on at the time, I saw what seemed to be a nice attempt at a painting.  “Beautiful painting,” I stated to the person, who could possibly be Picasso’s “distant cousin.”  Well, when I looked at the images in the painting a second time, with glasses on and a closer view, to my surprise it was not what I saw at first.  Because I had focused in on the one image I could identify without glasses, I speculated that the other two images were related to what I recognized.  Therefore, I made my assumption of what the painting was. Made sense to me! “Lord, what in the world was I looking at?”  In my spirit I heard, “You’ve allowed your focus of one image to determine the entire painting.” 

We must understand that it is not enough for us to just see. We must strive to understand and perceive what we see. Sight is simply seeing. Vision comes when we add understanding to our sight. This is true of our physical sight, and especially true of our spiritual vision. 

If God does not open our eyes, we will not see the wonder of His Word. We are not able to see spiritual things naturally. When we read the Bible without the help of God, just as I wasn’t able to see what the painting really was without my glasses; we cannot see what the Word really is without God’s supernatural help. Not that we can’t decipher its surface meaning, but we can’t see the wonder, the beauty, the glory of it in such a way that it gets into our hearts and our lives.

Eph 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know…

When I took a look at the painting with my glasses on and a closer view, I could see more clearly.  I was able to determine exactly what the painting was.  As I thought about it, I realized I sometimes view the Bible the way I viewed the painting, with blurry vision.  Meaning I don’t always use what I need to get a clear understanding of God’s Truth. 

It is when we allow God to open our eyes spiritually that we can see clearly what His Word is saying to us.  With opened eyes God will grant more vision.  He will give us what we need to see what we must, and with clarity we can behold the One who is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to Him through Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 7:25)

Prayer – Heavenly Father, we admit that we don’t really see clearly at times with our natural eyes, and most importantly spiritually. The eyes of our hearts are open just a little and our faith is lacking. The examples we see around us in our churches falls oh so short of what You want for us. Help us to see clearly so that we will not allow one thing to determine Your whole works.  In this season of our lives, open our spiritual eyes to grasp and see clearly things we haven’t seen before, to grasp with an unwavering grip a new level of faith, to be filled to overflowing with your joy and your love and your presence. To know You as we never have before.

“Open the eyes of my heart, Lord, Open the eyes of my heart. I want to see You, I want to see You.”

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

                                                                                                                                                In His Hands,