Open My Eyes

I’m reminded when I was a child peering through a kaleidoscope. I was fascinated by the various bright colors and odd shapes being formed as I slowly turned the lens.

Likewise, the lens of our life can be bright and attractive or very distracted and distorted. Through this same lens, we form judgments, opinions, biases etc. We reach a conclusion, some very faulty and fragmented, on what we consider true just by what we see around us.

We need the Holy Spirit to remove the veil of unbelief from our eyes so we see the truth of God’s word. David writes in Psalm 119:18: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.” The Hebrew word for “open” means to uncover, remove.

When our vision is obscured, it’s almost certain our knowledge of Christ is lacking. Proverbs 29:18 tells us where there is no vision or revelation the people perish (or as another version describes, “cast off restraint”), but blessed are those who keep the law.

Mary came to the tomb to expecting to see a dead Christ not expecting to see a risen Savior. Through her sorrow and grief she could not see Jesus standing right before her eyes, but she mistakenly thought it was a gardener. Until He spoke her name then revelation was imparted. Her eyes were opened. Christ was resurrected! And the veil was removed from her eyes (John 20:15-18).

Jesus instructed Mary in John 20:17, “Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.”

Beloved, the Scriptures tell us we walk by faith, not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7). The Greek word for sight means the external or outward appearance, form figure, shape.

Mary needed to learn to walk by faith, trusting in an unseen Lord, for He would soon ascend to heaven to be seated at the right hand of His Father. Just because she could no longer see Him in a bodily form did diminish the truth of His resurrection or existence. So to our knowledge of God is not based on what is seen or perceived, but rather based on trust in a God whom we don’t see, yet believe He is real.

Interestingly, in the same chapter of John, where Jesus prevented Mary to touch Him, one of the disciples refused to believe His resurrection unless he touched the nail prints in His hands and pierced side (I John 20:24-29).

Believing, Mary went away in joy and told the disciples of the good news (verse 18), but Thomas refused to believe until evidence was presented. Much in the same way, some refuse to believe unless evidence is seen. Even when it is produced, some will continue to be doubtful.

There is a blessing the Lord imparts to those who have not seen yet believe (John 20:29) which makes seeing on that day all the more wonderful and glorious when we no longer see in part, but completely!