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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion Friday, June 27, 2003 "A Different Way of Seeing the World" |
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Frontline Devotion for Friday, June 27, 2003, By Pastor Dave Sonnenberg
Text for the Day: Mark 8:22-25
One of my favorite kids books is about a child wondering what it would be like to see the world with the eyes of Jesus. The child explores the many possibilities- how God looks with love on the unlovable, sees hope where there is no hope, sees beauty where others see utter uselessness. As I recall, the book ends by saying- “how I wish to see with Jesus’ eyes.” I share that same wish.
It is so easy to lose sight in this world. Each one of us looks at the world from our own unique vantage point, which we must admit is biased. The community that we live in can distort our vantage point. Our economic standpoint can distort our vantage point. Our background can distort. Our work situation can distort it. Countless things have an affect on our vision of the world. Those things keep us from seeing the world with the clarity that Jesus saw.
The vision of Jesus is one that cuts through all the filters. Jesus was able to look at others and see their potential and beauty. Jesus was able to look at others and see the obstacles that needed to be removed. Jesus was able to look at people and see their beloved nature, even if no one else was able to see it.
You and I need God’s vision, so that we see the world with Jesus’ eyes. I don’t think we can achieve Jesus’ 20 20 vision in this lifetime, but I do believe that we can grow in our clarity. My grandfather was an ophthalmologist. I will always remember going into his office for an eye exam. We’d start by looking at the eye chart on the wall and I couldn’t even read the big E. But, slowly but surely, he’d adjust and adjust until my vision got sharper and sharper and sharper. It was always a comforting experience to go from total fuzziness to growing clarity. I invite you to explore ways in which you can open yourselves to receiving sharper vision from Jesus. My prayer is that together, we move away from fuzziness and into increasing clarity.
I hope that you will share with me the ways in which you receive spiritual clarity. For me, I recognize that when I read scripture, I start to notice things in daily life that I miss. When I pray, I recognize that God is doing something wonderful in my heart that is hard to explain. When I journal, I notice that God enters into my conversations.
Open yourselves to the corrective vision of Christ Jesus. It will give you greater clarity. Think what might happen if the Christian community asked God each day to “let us see the world with the eyes of Jesus.” It would have a profound impact on the way we treated others.
Prayer of the Day: Lord God, give us the vision of Jesus. Help us to see the world through his lenses. Help us to see people around us in a new light. Help us to see beauty and joy and things we may have missed. Move us from any form of fuzziness to increasing clarity of sight. Bless us this day and help us to be a blessing. Amen.
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All are welcome to join and share in our Devotional Ministry. Pastor Dave welcomes and appreciates feedback. pastordave@goodshepherdonline.org.