AM I VISION IMPAIRED?

Mark 8:25, "Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly."


I finally did it. After seven years with the same boxes of contacts, I went to the optometrist. I had started to notice changes in my vision two years ago. My peripheral vision was blurred and I always felt like there was gravel in my eyes. I knew my nearsightedness had been getting worse.

Upon further investigation my eye doctor tells me, "You have a severe astigmatism." "A what?" He proceeded to explain to me that astigmatism is a structural defect of the cornea where rays of light from an object don't allow our eyes to focus, thus causing imperfect vision. With this condition, one has to wear a special lens that fits the cornea properly. Wow! What a difference my new lens' have made. Objects and images are clearer. My vision is no longer blurred. My nearsightedness wasn't the problem, it was my lenses that were the problem.

I think vision problems can be common for many of us. While physical eyesight helps us in our daily lives, our spiritual vision is critical to our relationship with Christ. How often is our vision spiritually blurred? Are we spiritually blind? Do we need our eyes checked? Do we need a new prescription? What lenses are we looking through? Who can correct our vision?

Today's verse refers to a blind man whom Jesus heals. What is interesting about this passage in Mark 8 is the question Jesus posed to his disciples in verse 18, "Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear?" The disciples had cloudy vision and didn't understand who Jesus was or what he came to do. Do we understand what Jesus came to do? Are we able to comprehend what he wants to accomplish through us? Do we envision Jesus bringing healing and forgiveness to our broken hearts? Have we allowed him to restore our lives to wholeness through His death on the cross?

In verse 15 Jesus warns the disciples to watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees. What is the "yeast" of the Pharisees? In Scripture, Jesus continually rebukes the Pharisees and teachers of the Law for their pride, arrogance, stubborn, and hard hearts. They too, had cloudy vision and did not see Jesus for who He was or what he came to do. They missed the whole point of the Messiah's coming.

Seeing clearly requires us to understand who Christ is and what He wants to accomplish through us? Have you accepted the redemption Christ offers to your broken heart? Is your vision blurred by your pride, selfishness, or hard heart? These obstacles have a way of distancing us from God. In our own self-reliance we neglect to admit our need for Him. As a result, we start to live in a way that reveals our independence from instead of our dependence upon God. If we don't realize our deep need for Him, we will become very shallow in our relationship with Him.

God wants to bring precision to our vision. He wants us to see through His lenses of grace, humility, forgiveness, healing and wholeness. May we embrace Christ and allow him to change our perspectives so we can see everything for what it really is.

Heart Work:
Ask the Lord to reveal how your vision is blurred. Seek to understand His purposes for your life. Desire to be dependent upon Him. Strive to remove pride and arrogance from your life.

Heart Examination:
Am I vision impaired Lord? What am I allowing to blur my vision? Is there pride and selfishness in my life? Is my heart hard to God's Truth? Is my relationship with God shallow because I fail to realize my deep need of Him?

Life Changing Word:

Matthew 5:8 - "God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God."

Matthew 20:33-34 - "Lord," they answered, "we want our sight." Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him."

I John 5:20 - "We also know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true - even in his Son Jesus Christ."




Copyright 2010 by Hester Christensen. All rights reserved.