Month: July 2019

How Is Your Vision?

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“Why don’t these glasses that I have had less than a year help me  read anymore?”  I complained to my optometrist at my annual eye exam.

“Have you noticed those spots on your eyes.?” she asked patiently as she held up a mirror.  There I could see dark patches on my  irises which once were clear blue. Then I realized that everyone else could see my problem except for me. Jesus said that before we can help anyone else we have to deal with our own weaknesses.

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You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:5

Once  I accepted that I needed help,I went to Saint Luke’s Cataract and Vision Institute; where I discovered that  I needed surgery. As the result of a lifetime of overexposure to sun at work I had developed something called pterygiums.  In the same way that seeing too much, had dimmed my vision whatever we focus the eyes of our hearts on determines our ability to see spiritually. As we allow our eyes to become calloused by what we see in our world, we will see less and less of God’s face.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Matthew 5:8

After my surgery some nights have been painful and I needed to wear a protective eye patch for a while. Part of the process was getting eye drops every day. Because they stung I dreaded each time my wife reminded me that it was time for my drops; but I knew that these prevented infection and promoted healing. God restores our spiritual eyes in the same way with His healing balm. Though it may sting for a moment as our eyes fill tears of repentance; at the end we will be able to say, “I once was blind but now I see!”.

I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Revelation 3:18

black and brown brush on saucer

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The Other Side of the River

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Maybe you were a little like me growing up and you just wanted to fit in (But you couldn’t). In my case it was usually because I was the new kid – over and over again! Being accepted like one of the others was a premium that somehow I was never quite able to pay.  When I found Jesus at the age of nineteen; finally there was someone who was willing to be called my friend. But old ways of thinking can have a way of hanging around and translated into running after acceptance as if I still needed to belong somewhere here on this planet. I was still looking for home.

But Jesus reminds me that fitting in here on earth is not His goal for my life. In fact what we all need more than anything else is the peace that flows from knowing that where God has put us for now is the perfect place to be. He does give us a spot to catch our breath at times like Jesus did at the Samaritan well. But the destination that Jesus has in mind is our real home; and it sits there on the other side of the river.

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In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. John 14:2-3

 

 

Scandalous Once More

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I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”             John 16:33 NLT

Not long ago Vice President Pence faced protesters as he spoke at a “Christian” university then this week David Roark, communications director of the Village recently was uninvited from a graphic design conference. Of course these are just two well known examples that point out something lots of us have been sensing for quite a while. Christianity is once more thankfully and thoroughly scandalous! This not only should not come as a surprise to us who call ourselves followers of Jesus it should be an encouragement. Maybe after a generation of our struggles to become socially acceptable we ought to be glad that being shunned puts us a little closer to the master. Paul said that His preaching was considered pure foolishness to the important people of His day. All His press coverage was negative, but God was always near in to listen to his prayers. It is much better to be scandalous here and accepted in heaven than popular on earth but a sorrow to our Jesus.