I’ve worn glasses since about the second grade. When I started college, my Mom decided I was old enough (mature enough, responsible enough) to get contact lenses. I remember the hard ones, though I never wore them, and how grossed out I was by the folks that would rinse them off in their mouths. Yuck! I got the soft ones that you wore for a year or longer. I cleaned them every day plus a special weekly disinfectant bath. They were a lot of maintenance. Now, I wear “disposable” lenses. Once a month I throw out the old ones and break open a new pair. That first moment is wonderful. The old ones have become sticky and gummy but the new pair slips in like silk. I almost have to check to make sure they’re in my eyes! Of course, the real test is my vision. I can see crystal clear for a couple of weeks – until the deposits start building up again and I realize I have to blink several times to focus on something. Then I count the days until my month is up and I get a new pair.
Our spiritual lives can be similar. Our spirits can get sticky and gummy from all the dirt and grime we come in contact with in our world. Sometimes we have to blink several times to bring God back into focus. The thing is, He never moved. It’s our spirit that’s gotten out of whack. I joke about my nearsightedness being three inches from my face, beyond that the world starts to get blurry. Psalm 145:18 tells us that “the Lord is near to all who call on him.” Not only is He beyond my eyesight – above, below, and behind – He is right there in front of me. The question is, “Will I focus on Him?” And no pair of contacts will ever make that happen. This is eyesight of the heart. Stop, focus, and catch a “new” glimpse of Jesus – the same yesterday, today, and forever.
love ya, Bret.
