I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. (Ephesians 1:18-19, NIV)
Picture the most breathtaking course you’ve ever played. Have you ever been overwhelmed by the sheer beauty of a place? Felt a lump of gratitude rise in your throat at the thought that God not only created such a masterpiece but allowed you the chance to see it?
The Holy Spirit moves in these moments: He speaks. He calms. He restores.
In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, the apostle prayed that the Lord would give his sons and daughters a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him. This may mean stepping outside of what we’re used to.
It’s easy to get caught up in being a checklist Christian. Read a certain number of passages daily in the Bible; spend an allotted amount of time in prayer; go to church twice a week. Check, check, check.
Habits are important, but only if they yield fruit.
What if we focused more on leaning into God’s presence throughout the day rather than during a 10-minute prayer? What if we meditated on two lines of Scripture and what God is trying to teach us rather than rush through two chapters a day to stick to an arbitrary plan?
May we be as moved by the needs of God’s people as we are by the beauty of the earth.
Our faith isn’t meant to be bound by routine. It’s a grand adventure, authored and orchestrated by the Creator of the universe.
All the good intentions in the world can’t match a simple act of obedience. It’s in the quiet that we most often hear God’s instructions. That we’re given the tools to see the world as God sees it. And God has taught us that seeing the world as he sees it is by looking it in the eyes: “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22).
Never before have we looked into the eyes of our fellow man more than during this pandemic. With masks covering our smiles, our frowns and our quivering lips, we’re left with the eyes to tell our stories—and to “listen” to the stories of others.
What do people see when they look into your eyes? When they’re forced to hold your gaze, do they see kindness, gentleness, joy?
What do you see when you look into theirs? Do you see fear, pain, emptiness?
The words of Christ in Matthew 6 may actually reference a metaphor known among the Jewish people, that the eyes were a sign of one’s generosity. What a wonderful notion in our context! Do our eyes show us to be generous people, ready to assist others as they have needs? If they do, what a blessing we can be as we give the riches of God away.
May we be as moved by the needs of God’s people as we are by the beauty of the earth. May our everyday assignments be Spirit-led and Spirit-filled.
And may the hope of Christ be our constant companion.
—
Beth Ann Nichols
April 22, 2021
Copyright 2021 Links Players International
The Links Daily Devotional appears Monday-Friday at www.linksplayers.com.
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