Show Us Lord!

“You have to see it to be it.”  So said our worship leader this weekend from the pulpit, within the context of sharing how we as Christians are called to ‘be’ so much more than do. Isn’t it the truth! If we have a hard time visualizing it, it is hard to take steps to walk in it. When in a planning meeting we often hear, “What does that look like?” or “How do you see it?” Sight. Besides literally having sight with our physical eyes, there are (metaphorically speaking) numerous kinds of seeing, we see with our heart – there are times we see with our intuition, with wisdom, and yes with our spirit.

The Psalmist wrote what can sum up the long narrative of 176 verses in Psalm 119, with “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in Your instructions.” (v 18)

Seeing Your instruction.

King David wrote, “I will be careful to lead a blameless life.” (Psalm 101:2) He goes on to say in verse 3 “I will not set before my eyes anything that is worthless.” (Or as other translations state, ‘no vile thing’)  It is up to US what we look at, focus on and see with our natural eyes AND the eyes of our heart.  May I add, we are responsible for what we ask to see.

Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the Aramean army, (2 Kings 6) the servant was in a crazy state of panic. You can almost visualize Elisha reaching out, grabbing the guy by the shoulders, looking him dead on in the eyes, “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” As he turns him around, he goes on asking God to “Open his eyes that he may see.”  The Lord opened the servants eyes, the hills were indeed filled with horses and chariots of fire.

Seeing God stuff.

Mark 8: We see (yes pun intended) a few folks approached Jesus, begging Jesus to heal their friend who was blind. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and walked with him out of the village. “When He had spit on the man’s eyes and put His hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?” He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” Once more Jesus put His hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” (verses 23-25) Amazing story, nothing like Holy DNA spit in your eyes!

When the man initially says “I see…” the word indicates he had sight, the ‘ability’ to see, that’s about it.  When Jesus touched him again, he ‘saw‘ everything clearly, (a different word in the Greek) this time, his sight was with discernment, and his eyes were able to focus with perception, and detail. Jesus didn’t leave him with just the ability to see, He wanted him to have more! Notice too there was dialogue?  Jesus could have from a distance, with a divine wave, heal the man and continued on His way.  There was purposeful process. Walk with Me, progress.

Seeing with clarity.

Many would say, but isn’t faith walking without sight, quoting “We live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor. 5:7)  Yes.  However this sight is with our physical eyes, we see the bills on the table, and we see no check in mail,  faith ‘sees’ with spiritual eyes, eyes of faith sees Jesus is, Jesus can, Jesus will. A great example is the story of Peter and Jesus out on the water, Peter walks towards Jesus, ‘but when he saw the wind, he was afraid’ and began to sink.  (Matthew 14) Faith sight is always focused on Jesus.

Seeing Jesus.

We need to see not only with our physical eyes but with eyes of our heart, our spiritual eyes.   We at times only ‘see trees,’  we don’t focus as we should; our spiritual sight isn’t full of discernment or the miraculous. Like the blind man above, Jesus wants MORE for us!   Oh, He won’t literally spit in our eyes (relax) but He desires us to see with clarity. When we sit down and read His word, we ask “Show me.” God is THE Creator, His creativity is vast, ask Him to paint the picture for you, so you better understand. When we head out at a full run into our day, may we quote Elisha, “Open my eyes that I might see.” In doing so, may we live our day with expectation!

Paul’s words, so very strong, I pray over us, “…that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.” (Ephesians 1:17-19)

This verse is the basis for Paul Baloche writing the chorus we all have sung, “Open the eyes of my heart Lord, I want to see You…”

A wise man said, “If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed.” Solomon, Proverbs 29:19 (MSG)

Like King David, we set YOU Lord before us. Open our eyes Lord, with perception and detail.  Allow us to focus, and see YOU, Your word, Your stuff, Your people, Your circumstances.  It is written; Jesus walks with us, Jesus touches, He stays, He dialogues, and He shows us! (Go God!)

“To see You high and lifted up

Shinin’ in the light of Your glory

Pour out Your power and love

As we sing Holy, Holy, Holy”

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on towards love & good deeds” – Hebrews 10:24)