Open My Eyes

That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the
Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit
of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of Him:
The eyes of your understanding being
enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope
of His calling, and what the riches of the glory
of his inheritance in the saints.
Ephesians 1:17,18

One of my girlfriends in junior high school got a pair of glasses. I went with her to pick them up and I suddenly fell in love...with glasses. I had never even had a pair of sun glasses that I can remember, but in that moment in that doctor's office, fell in love with glasses. I talked my Mother into letting me get my eyes examined, but was unhappy to learn my eyes were perfectly fine. That was my seventh grade year.

During my freshman year, I found I was really and truly having a problem seeing the chalk board (boy, is a piece of equipment lost in most of today's classrooms). I couldn't figure out the problem. I had long ago forgotten the eye doctor visit. After several weeks, I again mentioned it to my Mother and went for an eye check. My sight had really deteriorated in that two year period of time. It's just something that happens to folks of any age. From the day of receiving my new glasses to this day, I am a glasses wearer. I could have gone to contact lenses but just never have. I almost feel undressed if I don't have my glasses on.

Glasses serve any number of purposes. There are some occupations that require safety glasses to be worn. I have a pair of sunglasses prescribed by my eye doctor. Over the counter sunglasses are purchased by the thousands of people every day to block damaging sun rays. I have seen people of every age wearing glasses...even a two year old. Why? I don't know of a person living who wants to have problems seeing or who want to go blind.

There are diseases that attack eyes. I have macular degeneration in both eyes. I have monthly injections in my left eye to fend of the damage that can be done by that disease. There are other problems that can attack one's eyes and if it does, we want to do everything possible to to avert any eye damage.

I have to wonder how careful we are about our spiritual eye sight. If we are so careful to protect our physical eyesight, I have to wonder what measures we take in protecting our spiritual vision. Christians at one time or another may have “I” problems. These problems may come on slowly, hardly noticeable while some may come on us in quick fashion. Being a backslidden Christian isn't usually something that becomes a part of us overnight. It usually happens through spiritual negligence. In this condition, one's spiritual sight is dimmed. With this dimming can come a spiritual blindness to God's truth that is dangerous. So what are some things we can do keep our spiritual vision clear.

First and elementary, we have to keep our lenses clean. One thing I hate about glasses is how they can become dim from everyday use...dust, cooking, finger prints, etc. There are common ordinary things that can lessen our ability to see the things of God and they may be every day things...busyness, hobbies, jobs, children, etc. None of these things are necessarily wrong until they dim our spiritual vision.

Open my eyes, that I may see
Glimpses of truth You have for me;
Place in my hands the wonderful key
That shall unlock and set me free.
Clara H. Scott

Then we must set our sight deliberately on the things of God. This is something that just happens. In this area, we must set out to have spiritual vision. Spiritual growth isn't just going to happen. These summer months are among the most dangerous for Christians where anything spiritual is concerned. Vacations, uncomfortable weather conditions and anything else that is different in these summer months from the other nine. I hasten to add that for some Christians, some of these spiritual sight problems may be problematic all twelve months of the year

Along with distractions comes a laxity in personal spiritual routine. Bible reading may become almost non-existent along with praying on a regular basis. Church attendance may go by the wayside. It's through these things we keep our spiritual lens clean and clear. A part of this clearing of vision is protecting our sight. There are things we should determine we aren't going to look at or participate in. This is tough in a world full of temptation and evil. God has promised His power to we believers in facing those things Satan throws our way.

My prayer:

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Nought be all else to me, save that Thou art
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

In Jesus precious name...Amen