Spiritual Lenses

I threw my hands up in frustration, in near tears, as I sat at the eye doctor’s office trying to put contact lenses on my eyeballs for the first time. For more than thirty minutes his assistant worked with me without any success.

After reading that storytellers and speakers should avoid wearing glasses so that any communication that is done with the eyes can be clearly seen, I was determined to get contact lenses. I figured if God helped me make a quilt and begin a traveling ministry, he could help me learn how to put contact lenses in my eyes.

I left the doctor’s office embarrassed by both my tears and my failure. I was given a set of trial lenses to bring home to practice getting them in and out of my eyes. After a month of trying and emptying a bottle of solution—I was no better at the task. Occasionally, I’d get one in and have to call Tom to get it out. I unknowingly wore one four days and it took a trip to the doctor to get it out! The goop forming in my eye was the clue that I must not have really dropped and lost it.

There are eight year olds able to put in contacts. Why couldn’t I? I succumbed to the idea that it must be true—you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

The doctor told me that contacts aren’t for everyone. He was right. As much as I tried, as much as I wanted them, I learned they weren’t for me. So instead I got a new pair of glasses with none other than pretty purple frames!
It’s hard to accept becoming an old dog. None of us like getting older. We all want to maintain the energy, strength, abilities, and looks of our prime years. But the truth remains: we are getting older. We can’t do things like we used to do.

The apostle Paul tells us not to lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. God gives us spiritual eyes to see Him. They are located in the heart of a believer. No matter how old we get or how much our bodies might fail us—the spiritual eyes God gives will never fail us. We just need to open them to see His presence in our lives.

Do you want to see Jesus? Open the eyes of your heart.

Dear Lord:
Open the eyes of my heart, I want to see You. To see You high and lifted up, shining in the light of your glory. Pour out your power and love as I sing holy, holy, holy. You are the Holy One O Lord. Praise and Honor to Your Holy Name.  –Amen.