THE SEEING BLIND

What am I looking for today, and where is my focus? Over the past week, I've been thinking about the mystery of how God sometimes opens my eyes to hidden things, yet at other times I fail to see what is right in front of my face! There are days when I don't do what is right, and afterward wonder how I could have been so blind. The Bible describes two distinct types of individuals in the book of Isaiah. To one type of person God says:

I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know,

in paths that they have not known I will guide them.

I will turn the darkness before them into light,

the rough places into level ground.

These are the things I do,

and I do not forsake them.

- Isaiah 42:16, ESV

The other type of person (see Isaiah 44:9-20) is described this way:

They know not, nor do they discern,

for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see,

and their hearts, so that they cannot understand.

No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment

to say . . . "Is there not a lie in my right hand?"

from Isaiah 44:18-19, ESV

Of those two types, which person are you? Isaiah makes it obvious that the clarity of your thinking and spiritual vision depends not on the quality of your eyesight, but on the subject of your focus. What are you looking at today? Are you looking to things created (idols) or to the Creator? The apostle Paul reminds us that to keep our lives in focus, we need only to stay clear on this one thing:

. . . the mystery hidden for ages and generations

but now revealed . . . this mystery,

which is Christ in you,

the hope of glory.

- from Colossians 1:26-27

I pray that the Lord will give you and me the power of perspective today. Let's consciously place ourselves into the first category of individuals, the ones who are led "in paths that they have not known," and for whom God will "turn the darkness before them into light." Let's actively acknowledge that in many ways we're blind and helpless, for only after acknowledging our need can we be led by God's powerful hand.

Let's ask ourselves, "Am I free to be led by God's hand today, or is there a 'lie in my right hand' that would prevent me from latching onto God's firm grip?" If we want our darkness to be turned into light, then we must carefully examine our thinking on a regular basis, and mentally let go of any false assumption or misplaced priorities I find there.

In Christ we can pray with confidence and authority: "Lord, I see that I am blind. Show me what I hold in my hand - what I hold dear - that would separate me from the leading of your Spirit today. Make me willing and able to let go of my 'idols' and take hold of your hand, that you may turn my darkness into light before me, and guide me on level ground." AMEN!

BROKEN, TAKEN, AND SNARED

There's an often quoted verse in today's reading which reflects the value of consistently applying the principles of God's word so we can grow in knowledge, maturity, and integrity:

". . . it is precept upon precept, precept upon precept,

line upon line, line upon line,

here a little, there a little."

- Isaiah 28:10, ESV

How seldom I see such a passage in the light of context, yet how starkly revealing! In the surrounding verses (5-13), there is a warning. As a professed Christ follower, I can either put the teachings of the Bible before me or behind me. If I choose to put God's teachings behind me, I will fall backward over them and break myself in pieces:

. . . they would not hear. And the word of the Lord will be to them precept upon precept, precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a little, there a little, that they may go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. (from Isaiah 28:12-13, ESV)

Let us not bring the fate upon ourselves of being "snared and taken" because we would not heed God's Word. I hope you will join me as I pray, "Lord, let me place your precepts before me, to guide me and keep me from harm. Let me daily hide your word in my heart that I might not sin against You! Let me be responsible to apply your principles to my decision making, and careful follow your instructions today." AMEN.

THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD - FEAR AND DELIGHT

The prophet Isaiah described the Spirit of the Lord:

. . . the Spirit of wisdom and understanding,

the Spirit of counsel and might,

the Spirit of knowledge and

the fear of the Lord.

- Isaiah 11:2

The Lord Jesus gave his followers -- you and me -- the same Spirit (see I Cor. 2:12). That means you and I have all the traits described above, whether we know it or not! The Spirit the Lord gives us is like a big treasure chest, and it will help us dig those traits out of us if we visualize what we are looking for:

Please join me as I pray, "Lord, YOUR Spirit in me -- that is what I crave! Wisdom and understanding to focus on the core issues at every moment of decision; the ability to give and receive good advice (counsel), boldness to speak and act as your Spirit indicates (might), and the presence of mind to respect You above all else (the fear of the Lord)."

Fear and delight are not often used in the same sentence without creating a real contradiction in terms, but truly I pray that it will be our delight and highest pleasure to respect, honor and fear the Lord today, just as the prophet Isaiah spoke of the Lord Jesus, who has put his own Spirit within us:

. . . and his delight

shall be in the fear of the Lord.

- Isaiah 11:3

PROVERBS 31 WOMAN

The "Proverbs 31 Woman" comes with a long list of qualities and qualifications, of which I'm keenly aware I fall far short! Yet in today's reading, one thing stands out from that long list, and it is something all of us women can give without hesitation or second thoughts:

She opens her mouth with wisdom,

and the teaching of kindness

is on her tongue.

- Proverbs 31:26

I have something to give which costs me nothing. I can give a little thought before I open my mouth, and make a point to show kindness in the things I say. It costs nothing to be generous in attitude and speech. Though I may feel unprepared to face many of the challenges before me, I can rely on God's grace to let my attitude and the words that come out of my mouth be excellent.

Today's reading from the New Testament sheds even more light on my prayer life. Like the Macedonians, who were not wealthy by material standards, I can ask the Lord for this seemingly incongruous mix:

. . . abundance of joy

and their extreme poverty

have overflowed in a wealth of generosity . . .

- 2 Cor. 8:2

I can boldly ask that the Lord allow me, even in my need, to "excel in acts of grace," (see 2 Cor 8:7). After all, "if the readiness is there, it is acceptable according to what a person has, not according to what he [or she] does not have," (2 Cor. 8:12). I'm not asked to give beyond my ability; I'm only responsible for what I have at my disposal.

My prayer - and I hope you will join me - is simply this: when (and not if) I have a chance to display a good attitude, to give a word of encouragement, to pardon an offense, or to in any small way let Jesus' love shine through me, that I'll be ready to act quickly and decisively to capture that golden opportunity! Let His grace be great in me today.

I know the Lord will honor such a request. Amen? AMEN!

LIVING PROOF

Look what happened to God's people, how God delivered them in times of trouble:

. . . they cried to the Lord in their trouble,

and he delivered them from their distress.

He led them by a

straight way . . .

- Psalm 107:6-7

What a blessing that you have the right to ask God the Father to lead you by a straight way. What a gift to know that He will answer you by moving all the details of your life into position to reflect his saving love and grace for all the world to see.

Let them thank the Lord for his steadfast love,

for his wondrous works to the children of man!

For he satisfies the longing soul,

and the hungry soul he fills

with good things.

- Psalm 107:8-9

Even in those long-ago times before Christ, God's people knew that only God provides true help:

Oh grant us help against the foe,

for vain is the salvation of man!

- Psalm 108:12

Now I'm speaking to you, a modern follower of God. You know Jesus! You know the saving power of his blood, and the life-changing power of his Holy Spirit. God's daily intervention in your life stands as a monument to his saving grace:

Those who have never been told of him will see,

and those who have never heard

will understand.

- Romans 15:21

People who have never heard the lingo, to whom terms like "salvation" and "deliverance" sound like psycho babble at worst and a foreign language at best -- they are watching you, and will see what God does to change your life. That's how lost people will know God is real, and that He changes lives today.

You don't know who is watching you, who is waiting to see if God will help you, if knowing Jesus really makes any difference. When the Lord changes things for you, that one who is watching will see that there is hope for him or her, too. Point to Jesus through the monument of a life that is changed. Is God real? Does He care? You are living proof.

CELEBRATE YOUR BREAKTHROUGHS

Like water breaking through, like a flood bursting a dam, like a relentless river chiseling its channel deep into rock . . . that's how David describes the act of God that gave him victory. 1 Chronicles 14:8-12 tells of David's victory over oppressing enemies. In the eleventh verse, David's words are recorded:

. . . and David said, "God has broken through my enemies by my hand, like a bursting flood." Therefore the name of that place is called The Lord Who Breaks Out.

David took time to celebrate victory; he loudly acknowledged that the breakthrough was an act of God. Have you seen a breakthrough? Yes! Don't keep it to yourself, but acknowledge it! Mark the date well, and name the place of your victory in honor of the Lord who made it happen.

Go ahead and tell the story over and over again, for God will put in your path someone who needs encouragement. Somebody you know is looking for a landmark along the way, hoping for some small sign that God can and will rescue in time of need. Every breakthrough offers living proof that the Lord will save.

SAY A BLESSING

Sometimes we're aware that we are saying a blessing, before we eat a meal for instance. But blessings (and conversely, cursings) happen much more frequently than that. What we say, and even what we dwell on in our private thoughts, can often be divided into two categories: blessing and curse. For God's people, words are weighty. Our words carry God's authority to bless or to curse, even when we are not consciously aware.

I don't want to imply that we are living under a law whereby we have to tippy-toe around for fear that we will say the wrong thing and mess up the entire universe, because that would be a curse in itself. We are under the grace of God for all we say and do (thank the Lord). But just look at the blessings that were spoken, without any awareness of the weight of the words or the specific events that would follow. Boaz speaks kindly, or pronounces a blessing so to speak, on Ruth when he says:

" . . . The Lord repay you for what you have done, and a full reward be given you by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge!" (Ruth 2:12)

In turn, Naomi speaks kindly (a blessing) about Boaz:

Naomi said to her daughter-in-law, "May he be blessed by the Lord, whose kindness has not forsaken the living or the dead!" (Ruth 2:20)

Did blessings materialize for Boaz and for Ruth? I am sitting here, living proof, that the blessing was fruitful! Ruth and Boaz married, and the son they bore was one of the forefathers of our Lord Jesus. The result of those blessings spoken so long ago is still being multiplied today in every heart that is touched by the Spirit of God. How could these people thousands of years ago have imagined that the very savior of the world would be among their descendants? And yet it is recorded clearly in the lineage of Christ:

. . . Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse . . . (Matthew 1:5)

What comes out of your mouth makes a difference! Do not indulge in cursing (as I am often wont to do), even in your most private moments, when you think it is just between you and the mirror. It is not! Every word that comes out of your mouth - no! out of your heart before it is formed into spoken syllables - has the power to bless or to curse. Blessing from God are a direct result of the power of the spoken word, so weigh your words carefully, and aim to speak blessings today, even (and especially) in your mind and in front of the mirror!

See also Matthew 18:18-20, Romans 12:14.