Opening My Eyes

We gathered last night as a rag-tag group of followers.  We were imperfect, and are imperfect, yet we gathered in Your name and for Your glory.  We who are imperfect at work and school and home, gathered to here a word from You.

And the word was Vision.

Sight.  See.  Notice.  Watch.

We learned that revelation--seeing You and Your world--is key to being transformed.  We are not molded until we begin to see. We are not shaped until we see Your shape.  We cannot love until we witness Your love.  Our hearts cannot beat for You until our eyes are unveiled to Your glory; until we are in awe of Your beauty.

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I am sitting in my office this morning.  There is music playing from the computer I am using to type this.  There is a small space heater hidden under my desk warming my feet and legs.  I have a to-do list sitting to the left of me, my water sitting right next to the screen, and a stack of books over to the right.  I have things to accomplish, lessons to work on, people to email...

But...

But I cannot escape the need for Vision.  To see You, and to see You with Your eyes.  And I wonder, am I alone?  I wonder if there are others needing to be reminded of you, to see You with fresh eyes this morning?
What Vision of You do I need to remember today?

Is it the Incarnation?

In this moment do I need to remember that You went from perfection to human?  Do I need to remember that You crawled into my messy world and walked with me?  Do I need to remember that I am not above other people's messy lives, but that I, like You, can jump into the mess of their lives to help them see a better way?

Is it the Crucifixion?

In this moment do I need to remember that You--all powerful and everything in Your control--willingly gave up life itself (and You are life itself!).  That You sacrificed Yourself for me, taking on my sin.  Do I need to remember that true love is sacrificial.  It is not self-serving.  True love dies for its beloved.

Is it the Resurrection?

In this moment do I need to remember that You are more powerful than death, darkness, and sin.  That You are already victorious and reigning and that Your kingdom is already here and is still on the way!  Do I need to remember that the old system, the way the world does things, is not powerful against You and Your army of light.  That in the end I will be justified for choosing You and for living according to Your word.  Do I need to remember the power of Your victory?

Or is it the daily moments that you walked this earth?

You fed the poor.  You cast out demons.  You showed love to the prostitutes, the traitors, the violent, and the timid.  You cared for Your enemies, and you fed those without food.  You accepted homelessness to show people God.  You taught us that we are to do likewise.  That it is not Christian to pray for the destitute but do nothing to help.  You taught that we are not to look the other way when we see injustice and poverty and violence.  We are to step up and be like you.  Caring for both the victim and the guilty.

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Lord, help us to see You today.  Let my little world in office and home grow bigger as I seek to act like You.  Let me be a picture of You today, so others may see You through me.

Amen.