We Need Eyes that See

We Need Eyes that See

by David Brenneman 

"Now when the attendant of the man of God had risen early and gone out, behold, an army with horses and chariots was circling the city. And his servant said to him, “Alas, my master! What shall we do?” So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.” And the Lord opened the servant’s eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. 2 Kings 6:15-17 NASB95 

More often than not we stress over the details of what we don't see, hear, or know.  We only are like this servant of Elisha's and see only what we think we understand as the truth.

Truth says there's more.  Jesus says there's much more. 

We can easily take the off-ramp of a quick choice in order to find peace in a situation rather than see it through as the Spirit intended us to do.  We can point to this or that as reasons not to continue in either the persecutions or strife.  

Yesterday in my reading, the comments by Dr. Charles Stanley wrote said that Jesus prayed 3 times to His Father in the garden to -if possible- remove that cup from Him. Once He had it confirmed that it wasn't going to happen...nothing was going to prevent Jesus from taking that cup. Nothing would stand in His way from taking it.  

Jesus likely had spiritual forces assaulting Him unlike any we can fathom that probably escalated at praying that prayer. 

He probably had hundreds if not thousands of His former angels speaking all kinds of things against Him.  Trying to make this trip to the cross as harsh as possible.  Satan had Jesus right where he thought he wanted him and wanted to savor every moment.  Where do I get such thoughts on this?  Actually look at the material used in movies and television or streaming.  There's much evidence to convince that Satan was enraged at Jesus for turning his offer down and he would make him pay dearly for it.  That's the theme of the evil stereotypes in those things in Hollywood.  That's what evil does.

What Satan could never account for is the absolute truth of the power of God in the indwelling Spirit in Jesus Christ.  That same Spirit that came down and rested upon Him that John the Baptist testified to was still with Him.  

That same overwhelming power is still in the lives of those who Believe and are saved in Christ Jesus.  We just need clearer eyes to see. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 NASB95 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight."

Oh that we would have eyes that see situations as God sees them!  

We often don't see the sense or the point of the trials that the Spirit leads us through.  What does Psalm 23 mean?  Means to follow and trust your Shepherd regardless of what our eyes see.  Don't get comfortable in the peaceful times or used to the distresses. 

Why do we often take the long way to get to some lessons that we are being taught by the Spirit?  Because the same Spirit who opened that servant's eyes is the same one that teaches you and I today. 

We can dodge the trials but we will suffer for it.  Those lessons that we need in order to find sanctification will still need accomplished. 

Am reminded of someone who ripped me because of them not seeing the truth of God in the trials they were experiencing.  Their life was indeed difficult but they insisted on choosing a path that deviated from their calling in Christ Jesus.  They refused to see.  

We probably have heard a phrase that isn't in the Bible. "There are none so blind as those who will not see".  As others have written, it's roots are in what Jesus said in Matthew 13:13.  

You and I cannot make people see what they choose not to see.  But we CAN pray that their eyes would be opened.  

Jonah proved that running from God's will gets you a boatload of trouble.  Or in his case, thrown off the boat.

When trials are done we look back and only think we see all that we went through to get to where we are.  But we will not know the hidden things from God's perspective. We don't always know what our dealing with trials and tribulations did to point someone else to understand something more about salvation in Christ Jesus. 

Prime example is the 80 years in the wilderness that the Israelites spent.  Generations that still had to have their experiences explained to them because they still didn't see.

We are going to go through things we will not understand.  Only after we leave this world will it be possible to ask Jesus further about them. 

To the best extent possible, pray that your eyes would be open to those things that will grow you in Christ.  Pray that you don't turn from a trial that the Spirit says you need in order to grow in Christ Jesus.  If indeed that cup you face isn't going to go away, let nothing stand in your way from taking hold of it. God lead you to it, He will see you through it.  Jesus said, before it had happened, that His hour had come.  He would let nothing stand in His way.

We CAN choose an easier route, but that lesson will still be on the plate.  

Pray that we have eyes to see God's truth and do not lean on our own understanding.  We will falter if we do trust only in what we think we see.