"How's Your Eyesight?"

 

“How’s Your Eyesight?”

 

If I live until this coming July I’ll become an octogenarian. I’m grateful to God for the good health He’s given me (I’m taking no prescription medications) but was astounded to find that when I checked my on-line patient portal I have twelve professionals in various specialties listed on my Health Care Team! Some I see only when needed but I go to others once or twice a year for monitoring conditions, none of which (by God’s grace) are serious. One of these is an ophthalmologist due to keratoconus, a thinning of the cornea, and pending cataract surgery. I tend to take my eyesight for granted so I periodically thank God that I can read, eyeball family and friends and enjoy the beauty of God’s creation.

Paul wrote to his coworker that “…God…provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Timothy 6:17). But at times we misuse His blessings, including our eyesight. Who of us hasn’t read or viewed things we shouldn’t have? We’d do well to make the commitment David did long ago: “I will set before my eyes no vile thing.” (Psalm 101:3). 2 Samuel 11-12 tells of the tragic consequences when he broke this promise.

One of the best things we can use our eyes for is reading and studying God’s Word. In Psalm 119:18 the psalmist asks God to “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” This is the basis for the words of Clara Scott’s hymn, “Open my eyes that I may see glimpses of truth Thou hast for me….” But we need more than the physical act of reading Scripture’s words—we need the insight given by the Holy Spirit (“…People who aren’t Christians can’t understand…{truth} from God’s Spirit…only those who have the Spirit can understand what the Spirit means.”—1 Corinthians 2:14, NLT). Only then can we move from being hearers to doers (see James 1:22).

God instructed His prophet to tell His people, “You will hear my words, but you will not understand. You will see what I do, but you will not perceive its meaning.” (Isaiah 6:9, NLT). Jesus told His disciples this was true of Israel in His day (Matthew 13:14-15)—is it any less so today? So I must ask myself: How’s my eyesight when it comes to the things of God? Will you ask yourself the same question?

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan