Open my eyes, Lord!

I am blind as a bat without my contacts or glasses. I am not too far off from the long-standing eye doctor joke, ending with, 

“What chart?”

I’m not sure exactly how long I went thinking the world around me was blurry. Maybe I thought everybody saw the same thing I did. I do remember in the fifth grade, my desk was located in the farthest row possible from the blackboard. (Yes, I know blackboard dates me) I had discovered that if I pulled out on the outer corners of my eyes, that my vision became clearer, long enough for me to read the blackboard. I learned later doing that was actually reshaping the eyes, thus clearing up the vision. It certainly worked, but I looked like an idiot and it tied up my hands. 

My teacher consulted with my mom, and it was off to the optometrist for me. I would soon reappear fitted with those lovely “cat” glasses of the early 70’s. But, it was the trip home with my new glasses that left a lasting impression. I’m sure I resembled the family pet in the front seat as I sat gazing out the window at my new surroundings. For the first time, I was seeing things like birds, high line wires (I knew there were poles, but no wires), individual leaves on trees, house numbers, clouds, airplanes and even faces at a distance …..things I could not see before. I was amazed! I was beholding a whole new world. 

Years ago, a pastor friend of mine, gave me invaluable insight into a “whole new world”. As a spiritual toddler at that time, I was developing a hunger for The Word and wanted to be able to read it and understand it accurately, but some of it was “fuzzy” to me.  He recommended that each time I sat down to read, to first pray using the scripture from Psalm 119:18, 

“Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law.”

And God honors His Word! The fascination I had experienced as a child beholding my new world with my “new eyes” was a mere flicker in comparison to the unspeakable wonderment I have beheld in the light of God’s Word. And each new year, God continues to reveal new things to me as I pray and seek His Word, beginning always with “Open my eyes, Lord…..” 

If God’s Word seems “fuzzy” to you, I encourage you to pray Psalm 119:18 the next time you sit down to read and see if you do not behold wonderful new things.  No matter where you are spiritually or what stage you are in, God will open your eyes to what may be needed for the moment or perhaps even a new direction He desires for you.  You will stand amazed as you behold a whole new world! 

Blink!

I remember the day I held our firstborn in my arms, and suddenly our lives were changed forever. We weren't really sure we even knew what to do with this new blessing. But like all parents, we learned. In fun, I remember calculating the year of his high school graduation. At that time, 1999 sounded eons away. But then--we blinked--and it was here. We blinked again…and our middle son left in 2002. One more blink…and our daughter left in 2006. 

And as quickly as we became new parents, we became empty-nesters, and suddenly our lives were changed again. And again, we weren't really sure we even knew what to do with this new blessing.

Rags to Riches

The Beverly Hillbillies, a sitcom of the 60s and early 70s, and a family favorite during my childhood days, was a “rags to riches” sort of show of a poor backwoods family who strike it rich when “Pa”, the Clampett family patriarch discovers oil—black gold, Texas tea—while hunting for mealtime provisions. 

Kinfolk of the Clampetts then urged the family to pack up their belongings and move to California, where they could reside in a large mansion in the Beverly Hills district; a dwelling more befitting their newfound wealth.

The show was a comedic combination of poverty and affluence, and the unsophisticated with the refined as the Clampetts maintained their simpleton lifestyle while having access to millions. It made for amusing entertainment.

When Paul wrote to the believers in Ephesus, he sought to encourage them to recognize the spiritual wealth they had “in Christ”. They were spiritually rich beyond measure but had been living as beggars—spiritual paupers—because of their ignorance of all that was available to them in Christ.

We do the same. 

Many believers today live as beggars, spiritual paupers, and victims of their past because of the same reason: they are not aware of the great wealth they have in Christ. They walk around in the old garments of spiritual poverty—content in their old ways.

Paul writes:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.  In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. 

In all wisdom and insight, He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention, which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory. In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory. (Eph. 1:3-14 NASB)

God has given everything we need to live the victorious Christian life. He predestined this great mystery before the foundation of the earth and before you were formed in your mother’s womb. From the days of old, everything took place in its proper order so that this mystery might be revealed to us according to the glory of His grace.

The love and kindness of God intended that we have adoption, acceptance, redemption, forgiveness, wisdom, inheritance, the seal of the Holy Spirit, life, grace, and citizenship—in short, every spiritual blessing. We have all the resources needed for living a victorious Christian life.

Father God, help me to fully grasp the truth of Your word in Eph. 1 that I may know and receive every spiritual blessing for me. Open my eyes and my heart to see what I need to lay down in order to fill up with an abundance of Your blessings to live a victorious life in You, that others may know that You are the One True God, in Jesus' name, amen.  

"All our righteous acts are like filthy rags".  Is. 64:6 

Just A.S.K.

In the first few sleepy moments of my day one morning, I began to summon the Lord for guidance and direction in what I felt He had given me weeks before. I know Him enough to know that nothing He initiates remains forgotten or left unfinished, but rather He utilizes every precious moment for His glory and our benefit. Yet, I felt as though He left a strong box in my possession, and forgot to leave the key. 

He answered with this verse. 

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7).

I realize that oftentimes what appears as silence from God is actually a hidden blessing, provoking us toward a deeper level of hunger. And this morning, like a baby who missed her middle-of-the-night bottles, I awakened with a d-e-e-p hunger.

Ask
Seek
Knock 

I had sought the Lord on occasion for an answer, and even asked others to pray, but had become so distracted with family matters, personal concerns, and health issues. I had not eagerly, fervently, or persistently asked, sought, or knocked for answers. I was hoping that maybe when I least expected it, the "key" would appear as suddenly as had the “strong box”. 

Hebrews 12:1 reminds me that “since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us”. 

God graciously marked out the race for me, and I had allowed myself to become distracted, not by sin, but just by the entanglements of my personal engagements and activities. I failed to faithfully, consistently engage the physical (quiet time, study, personal prayer) in order to experience the spiritual,  leaving it solely to the occasional, even unenthusiastic prayer.

Sometimes, we can move so fast and get so distracted doing even good things that we don't give life or God the chance to do anything with us. For me, I was distracted with what "could be", rather than allowing God to instruct me in the present in order to prepare me for the future. 

There have been times I've waited on God, and then times I've been guilty of procrastinating, calling it "waiting on God", when in reality, I simply needed to be taking action. 

Just as Jesus asked the  man with the withered hand to "stand" and "stretch out" his hand (Mark 3:3 NIV), I needed to stand on God's promise of long ago (Phil. 1:6) and stretch my faith toward the area of God's calling. (Heb. 11:1) 

Asking, seeking, and knocking “engage” the physical to experience the spiritual. God desires our determination and resolve. It is not a matter of whether or not God is willing, but rather  of how available, how hungry, and how determined we are to receive. Deep hunger drives us to ask, seek, knock, walk, run, speak, stretch, show up, throw off, drive out (Mark 11:15), persevere, etc.

God desires our activity, not our activities. (1 Cor. 9:24) Let us not get so busy looking for God's purpose for our life, that we forget to spend quality time with the One from whom all blessings, guidance, joy, peace, and understanding flow. 

Being hungry is good . . . when your hunger drives you to the throne of God.

Friend, what has God marked out for you in the way of your personal faith walk or ministry? Perhaps you sense a new stirring and increased fervor from deep within, but are not quite sure of the direction God is truly leading. Ask, seek and knock, and then trust that the doors of heaven will be opened unto you, and those not meant for you, He will close.

God does not call the equipped; He equips the called, and He will equip you, for His glory and praise. (Heb. 13:21)  
 

Does this post resonate with your spirit? Let me know in the comments section below.  

In Christ Alone

“For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”.  Col. 1:9

Do you remember the feeling you had when you first received Christ as Savior? Perhaps it was a combination of exhilaration, joy, and maybe even a little confusion as you wondered, "What am I supposed to do now?"

Showroom Religion

While traveling one weekend, a friend invited me to stay with him and his wife. They lived in a very beautiful home in one of the “large home” regions of that city. Following a tour of the home, I decided to freshen up before dinner in the guest bathroom.

Have you ever been in one of those bathrooms that was so beautiful, you weren't quite sure what to do with yourself?

Atop the rich marble counter was a large silk floral arrangement. Scattered about was an array of antique pictures, a few candles, a tall, slender, and dimly-lit lamp, a frosted glass fragrance mister, and a fancy tissue dispenser and counterpart hand mirror.

Near the sink was an ornate pedestal-style soap dish with a harmonizing blend of beautifully foil-wrapped individual soaps (Was I supposed to actually use one?). A complementary towel ring was close by, holding an ultra-plush crewel lace edged towel and matching washcloth. (Was I supposed to use those?) I turned around to find a matching bath towel perfectly draped over the oil-rubbed bronze towel rack.

With no room on the counter to place my travel bag, I set it on the floor . . .

Performance Police

 

I am so thankful for our highway patrol, and for the safety in which they so dutifully work to ensure on our highways. However, as I traveled home from a neighboring city recently, minding my own business and rockin’ out to Praise and Worship music, I noticed in my rear-view mirror what appeared to be a highway patrol unit closing in more rapidly than at normal speed, but without flashing lights. 

My speed was set on 65 . . . okay, 66. I knew my tag was in date. I had not run any red lights, crossed any lines, nor had I cut anyone off in traffic. Yet, he followed so closely for several miles and I guessed he might have been running my tag; for what reason, I did not know. Therefore, I waited to see what would happen, but was—in the meantime—more nervous than usual, (why is that) making my journey home much less enjoyable than I usually find it to be.

The Least of These

Recently, I had the opportunity to help my daughter and son-in-law in caring for two young girls, ages four and two. DHS removed them from their home in order to secure their safety from a violent environment. My daughter and her husband are listed as emergency contacts and are in the process of adopting a teenage boy they’ve been fostering for a couple years. They also have two boys of their own, and at that time, the oldest was two, the baby was two months. 

Therefore, I offered to help, but my daughter didn’t want to burden me. So, like most mothers, I packed a bag, not sure of what I was getting into. 

New experience? Yes. 

Burden? No. 

Small Beginnings

Did you ever notice God loves to start from scratch? 

Like so many Christian authors never did I intend to write and I certainly never intended to write a book. Therefore, when people ask, “how did you ever start to write a book”, I tell them, “With a letter to my Dad”. It turned out to be the launch pad for my book. 

But I suppose I could trace back even a little further when my high school English teacher ignited that creative gift within me of which I was unaware of its use or purpose. I learned through a creative writing class several ways to express myself through different styles of writing. I thoroughly enjoyed the class, but sadly, did not recognize its significance and failed to follow through upon graduation. I was also spiritually blind at the time. 

However, God opened my eyes and heart in 1991 and for five years, I was completely ‘lost in love’ with my Savior and my God. He created a deep passion within me and a ravenous hunger and thirst for His Word I literally wore the cover off my leather bible. He was gradually restoring a very dry and thirsty soul. Then, in 1993, I wrote a personal letter to my dad on Father’s Day as a special gift using a story I remembered from childhood depicting my tender relationship with him. I paralleled the story to the precious relationship I had with my heavenly Father. I wrote another story for my mother on Mother’s Day a year later. For whatever reason, I then changed course and picked up portrait art for several years. 

But, in 2007, I sensed God urging me to put down my pastels and begin writing again. I truly felt that if I did not write, I would literally explode. Through the leading of the Holy Spirit, the stories began to pour out of me onto my computer keyboard. Sensing also that God did not intend for me to write for an audience of only One, I approached our local newspaper about publishing a weekly Christian column. Readily accepted, it ran for 3 years. A year and a half into publishing the columns, my readers encouraged me to put them into a book. Unfamiliar to publishing, I typed “Christian publisher” into the search bar of my browser, found Tate Publishing in my home state, and the rest, as they say, is history. 

I consider writing as a tool for ministry. I never felt the call to travel abroad to foreign countries to preach the gospel in places without running water or flushing toilets. But just look around. People are walking in darkness all around us; many of them are right here in our communities. Sometimes, even in our churches.

If you are not only a believer, but a true FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, you have a mission to tell others not just how He saved you, but how He leads you every single day. With boldness and passion, step out and share Christ. 

Our world testifies to the power and glory of God. Our lives should testify to the world of the glory and power of God. Find your way to do that, whether in writing, painting, singing, speaking, teaching, giving, feeding, reaching—whatever it is, do it! 

Start today with whatever tools you have. Ask the Lord to lead you, opening doors for you to hone and then utilize your gifts, to the glory and praise of God the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.