Of course this verse jumped off the page at me this week!
It drew my attention as soon as I read the word "eyes."
The past week has been all about my eyes.
Well, not just my eyes, but Bay's eyes, and my sister--in-law, Kim's eyes.
We all had lens replacement surgery performed by a dear friend of ours (yes, he's an ophthalmologist and specializes in these surgeries) in Oklahoma City.
We documented it with this lovely picture:
While it has only been a week since surgery, I am reading without glasses (something I haven't done since I was about 13) and I am seeing long distance, as well - - Good-bye progressives!
I'm seeing more clearly now, just because my 70-year-old cloudy lenses were removed and replaced by brand new ones, allowing more light for better focus.
Oh my! Big applause for modern technology, and a standing ovation to the Lord-of-all-wisdom-and-knowledge who granted this skill to doctors.
👏👏👏
It's interesting isn't it...
The gospels are filled with stories where Jesus healed the blind, so men could truly see HIM AS SAVIOR (they were healed physically in order to see spiritually)...
...and, I dearly love the narratives where God even made seeing eyes blind so that the Word of the Lord could be read in countries off-limits to the Gospel.
Then, I spent some time with the passage highlighted above...
I began to wonder, more than healing the blind and taking away sight-for-a-season, is the greater miracle this:
God making seeing eyes see.
That's what lens replacement surgery did for the three of us last week.
That's exactly what Paul is praying in Ephesians 1:18: "Lord make spiritual eyes see even better."
If you have a chance, read the context for this verse in Ephesians 1:15-23. Because, this is really what Paul wants "enlightenment" to do for Jesus-folk:
1. Paul wants us to see God with new eyes. The entirety of Paul's prayer in Ephesians 1 (and 3) is about knowing our Lord with deeper intimacy. When we know Him more fully, we trust Him more completely. When we trust Him more completely, we REST in Him.
Life is a regular Sabbatical of Sabbath Rest when we see with new eyes.
2. Paul wants us to see God's power at work within us with new eyes. The very same power that raised Christ Jesus from the dead is at work in His followers (ponder that!!!!!). Everything we do throughout our day should be an act of service unto the Lord for His glory; and, whether you and I are aware of it, or not, He's making it happen! He regulates the necessary power in and through us to accomplish His purposes.
God's power at work in us makes a difference in this world one life at time. May we see Him at work with new eyes!
3. Paul wants us to see the Gospel with new eyes. No other combination of words that man could ever make up in his mind has the power to change lives like the good news of Jesus Christ. The story of Christ's death for ME (& you) matters...and Paul never got over it. He, with new-eyed-vision, and single-minded purpose, continued to move the gospel message for more and more to receive and experience.
The more we "see the gospel with the eyes of our hearts enlightened," the more we will focus on making sure the gospel is clearly spoken to the lost.
4. Paul wants us to see heaven with new eyes. As a Jesus-follower, this earth is not our home. We are aliens and strangers, here for a season. We only have one passport...a passport to hope.
When we see heaven with new eyes, that hope becomes an anchor for our souls.
What really is the bottom line of seeing with new eyes?
What changes when we subject ourselves to the Great Physician's tender hands for lens replacement surgery within our hearts?
WELL...when we see with new eyes, we comprehend things with more wisdom; and, that causes us to interpret life differently; and, when we think differently, we respond differently...
EVERYTHING CHANGES!!!
That's exactly why Paul was praying for the eyes of the heart to be enlightened.
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