How Do We See Though the Eyes of Jesus?
Good Morning Friends,
If you are prepared to be more impressed with the greatness of God than with the sin of the world….if you would like to seek to learn how to transform the communities in which you live and work, listen up. When Jesus sees the world, His eyes transcend time and space. He looks with eyes that see through our skin to our souls. He sees our desire to be something greater than ourselves. He sees that we’re doing the best we can, though He knows we could do better. He sees our wishes for love and success, but sees that many of our dreams may never come true. He also sees that we’re searching for answers, but are often our own worst enemies with spiritual blindness preventing us from seeing. So today we seek to answer a question about vision… and the power of God. Today we ask God for help. So God, just how do we see the world through your eyes? How Do We See Though the Eyes of Jesus?
Scripture: In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand. ‘For his eyes are upon the ways of mortals, and he sees all their steps. There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.
Job 34:20-22 (NRSV)
for all that is in the world—the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, the pride in riches—comes not from the Father but from the world.
1 John 2:16 (NRSV)
And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.
Philippians 1:9-11 (NRSV)
But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for the Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’
1 Samuel 16: 7 (NRSV)
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Ephesians 4:2-3 (NRSV)
Message: What do you think God sees when He looks at us? Surely when God looks upon the world He sees a world of wickedness with people blinded to the potential abundant life God would have us experience. God undoubtedly sees way too many who have gone astray but God also sees the potential for those who seek the Lord. Yesterday we worshipped in honor of all saints day and the light of something holy. And today we are called to take this enthusiasm to the streets. We are asked to see with the eyes of our heart, to be alert to God’s activity around us seeing with spiritual eyes as a community of prayer that looks on the face of Jesus. And here we discover that to be an effective body of believers we need to have a love that keeps us together. We need to be faithful. We need to be willing to stand in the gap and work in the world, to work with God. We need to be people of vision and optimism…generous in spirit and encouragers of the word. We need to be promoters of prayer. We need to see the world through the eyes of God.
But what does God see when He looks at us? Certainly He sees our wishes for love and success. He sees that many of our dreams may never come true. But He also sees that we’re searching for answers. God realizes that our blindness prevents us from seeing Him. Even Christians, followers of Christ, may not be able to see with the Eyes of God because we get in the way. Our problems, our selfishness, our earthly vanities, our anxieties, our prejudices, our lack of trust…are all like a closed curtain on a window. They prevent us from seeing what the Holy Spirit would have us see. But the truth is…perhaps we really don’t want to see all God wants us to see, because we are afraid to see the truth. We really know that if we could see the truths of God…then we would have to act on those truths, and many of us are actually not quite ready for that yet. That is why we have to see through the eyes of faith until our vision of us seeing Jesus seeing us becomes revealed. Friends, know that when we see Jesus we have seen the Father. Know that when we look on the face of the poor we seen God’s heart. Know that God in the Spirit of love and in prayer can help us to begin to see our families, communities and world through the eyes and tears of God. Are you ready to be healed? Are you ready to see?
Pray that the Holy Spirit helps us to visualize the possibilities in people, places and situations. Pray that the Holy Spirit motivates us to try new things so we can see beyond our present horizons. Pray that through the Holy Spirit we take creative risks as acts of faith. Pray that the Holy Spirit provides creative ways for us to visualize healing and restored health. Pray that we visualize Christ’s kingdom multiplied with truth and righteousness throughout the world. Pray that we have the attitude and the gratitude of joy. Pray we are mindful of how we use our eyes. Pray we never forget that we have been rescued for a purpose. Pray we have the eyes of humility and discernment. Pray we gain sight for our souls and see with the unconditional love of Jesus alive and revealed in the Spirit. Pray we not get in the way of Jesus. Pray we see each other’s precious souls with the eyes of a God who lives in us and loves on us.
Blessings,
John Lawson
Daily Devotionals 