20/20

Last month, I went to the eye doctor for my routine, yearly exam.  I went through a few different procedures to test, not only the clarity of my sight, but also the health of my eyes.  The diagnosis?  I have a slight distance issue in the left eye and I am on the cusp of needing reading glasses.  Neither of these issues, for now, is one that corrective lenses will fix.  Otherwise, my eyes are healthy and show no sign of disease.  The recommendation?  Test again in a year.  “Okay,” I thought.  “Pretty good. They may not be 20/20, but they aren’t bad.  At least I can go another year without glasses.” 

Now, here I am, weeks later, looking at the calendar and thinking, “2020.  What.  A.  Year.  2020?  Ahhh…2020.  Interesting.”   

Now, here I am, weeks later, looking at the Bible and thinking, “This is incredible.  Could it be…?  Could God, in the darkness of the world’s current events, be testing our vision?  Could we, the body of Christ, be in the midst of an eye exam appointment?”   

2020.  The year of perspective, insight and vision? 

Let’s see…

Behind natural realities are spiritual truths.   So, I started asking the Holy Spirit to help me see beyond the FOX5 evening news to the eternal Good News. 

When I started to reflect, I thought about…

The procedure…

Dilation is a process that drops medicine into the eyes.  These drops open the pupil, the hole in the eye, allowing more light to enter.  In addition to increased light, dilation also increases sensitivity.  While the eye is relaxed, this permits the optometrist to see the entire back of the eye, the retina, where light is received and converted and then sent to the brain for processing.  While dilation can make your vision temporarily blurry, which can affect your ability to drive or work, the process is necessary for the doctor to assess the overall health of the eye.  Then, while stationary, the eye doctor tests your ability to identify letters on a standardized chart.  This measurement is your visual acuity.  20/100.  20/60.  20/20.

…and its purpose…

Visual acuity is the sharpness of your vision.  Regular eye exams allow your eye doctor to identify and treat abnormalities and provide advice for eye care.  As the most dominant sensory organ, the eyes help us perceive the world and then, consequently, respond to it.  Good vision is important for living more comfortably, safely and with greater quality.       

“Okay,” I thought.  “God, if you’re testing vision, then how? Why?” 

Pandemic. Disease.

Unwittingly, coronavirus has relaxed the earth.  Banks are limiting operations.  Educational institutions are shut down.  Governments are suspended.  Stores, theaters and stadiums are closed.  Church doors are shut.  The streets are empty.  We’ve been stripped of everything that our gaze has been fixed upon.  And now that He has our attention, with no distractions or vain images, we’re poised for a season of sensitivity to the Spirit, for an entrance of His Word to bring light to the nations.  What if this time of stillness is an opportunity for God’s people to get to know Him?  For Jesus to examine the condition of our eyes?  For the Holy Spirit to help us apply salve so that our eyes may be healed of their darkness?       

When I considered the clarity of my own spiritual eyesight, I was drawn to the book of Job.  After all of his trouble, after all of his loss, in chapter 42, verses five and six (emphasis added), he concluded, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, But now my eye sees You.  Therefore I abhor myself, And repent in dust and ashes.”  When I see Jesus clearly, I also see myself clearly.  My humble repentance rights my heart and renews my mind.  It heals me of the disease of sin and positions me to see and receive God’s promises of deliverance, refuge and long, abundant life.    

If you journey with me through The RED PRESSpective, you’ll see that I see God, most often and most clearly, through analogies.  Literal life lessons – – – the bigness of God in the small things – – – the complexity of God in the simple.  This post is in no way intended to be prophetic; it’s a thought-provoker.  It’s meant to be introspective and eye-opening.  It’s encouraged me to question my focus. What am I looking at?  What should I be trying to see?  My perspective, now, is purposing to see 20/20 in 2020.

Seeing is believing! 

2020.  The year of perspective, insight and vision!

PRINCIPLE:  “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.” – Matthew 6:22