Opened Eyes!
Exodus 15:25 (KJV) And he cried unto the Lord; and the Lord shewed him a tree, which when he had cast into the waters, the waters were made sweet: there he made for them a statute and an ordinance, and there he proved them,
God created man in His own image and He enjoyed a beautiful fellowship with them in the Garden of Eden. But when they ate the forbidden fruit, the Bible tells us that their eyes were opened and they realized they were naked (Genesis 3:7).
Each of us have two sets of sight. One, the physical eyes and the other our spiritual eyes. When man sinned his physical eyes were opened, a sight that helped him see the things around him, the lack. All we focus on today is what is around us. This brings about the different kinds of worry and fear in us, regarding food, clothing and shelter. Constantly living for what our eyes see.
However the Lord wants to open our eyes so that we can see what He has in store for us. When Moses and the people of Israel struggled without water for 3 days and came to the bitter waters of Marah, they began to grumble against the Lord. But God opened the eyes of Moses and showed him the wood that would make the waters sweet when put into. The Bible is full of such examples where only when the spiritual eyes were opened, people could recognize the provision, God had for them despite the tough situations they were in. The Lord God wants us to operate with our spiritual eyes open in confusing times like this.
Why we need God to open our Spiritual eyes?
To Recognize the Provision of God.
Genesis 21:19 (KJV) And God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water; and she went, and filled the bottle with water, and gave the lad drink.
We need opened eyes to recognise the provision of God. Hagar and Ismael were wandering in the desert when all the water they had was over. The boy was about to die. Hagar couldn’t see the boy die, she left him and wept. But God heard the cry of the boy and opened Hagar’s eyes to see the well of water. We need opened eyes to see the provision God has for us. God opens our eyes in answer to tear-filled prayers that rise out of desperation as it did in the life of Hagar. Prayer opens our eyes to the provision He has made for us.
To Recognize the Protection of God
2 Kings 6:17 (KJV) And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Open spiritual eyes helps us to see the protection of God. The enemy likes to put fear in us by pointing out we are alone. Elisha was surrounded by the Aramean army. His servant voiced the fear of what was to come. An army out to get one man! This could be your story today too. Elisha was the man of God who was able to dissect in his spirit what the nation was facing politically. He thwarted the enemy’s strategy even as it was planned in the enemy king’s bedroom.
This man of God was now surrounded by Aram’s soldiers. But that did not cause him to be afraid. He prayed that the eyes of his servant will be opened and soon the servant saw fiery chariots and horses stationed all around them, commissioned by God for the protection of those who live for Him. When we are surrounded, we are surrounded by God.
To Recognize the Presence of God.
Luke 24:30,31 (KJV) And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
Open eyes helps us understand the presence of God. Two disciples on the road to Emmaus, heavy hearted were trying to understand the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. They thought that He would be crowned king but here He was killed as a criminal and in a matter of hours they thought their hopes were dashes as Jesus was dead. The resurrected Lord Jesus joins them as they go walking but they were kept from realizing it was Him.
Jesus explained the scriptures to them concerning Himself. As the word of God was ministered, their hearts were kindled. As it was evening and the day had ended, they urge Him to stay with them. That’s when Jesus broke the bread with them. Their sorrows turned to joy as their eyes were opened to perceive it was Jesus. The night is coming where noone can work and we should do the work of Him as long as its day.
The Need for opened eyes.
Mark 10:51 (KJV) And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
We need our spiritual eyes opened. There is nothing greater than that. Bartimaeus was a blind beggar on the road to Jericho but he saw what others failed to recognize. Crowds followed Jesus but failed to realize who He was and what He had come to do for them. Some found Him a source of miracles, some a reason for trouble. But a blind man cries out, “Jesus, son of David ! Have mercy on me.” He saw Jesus the Messiah. That made Jesus stop, call on him and ask him what he wanted. Bartimaeus says he wants to see.
Oh how much we need to desire that our eyes be opened by the Lord!
Psalms 119:18 (KJV) Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law.
David prays asking God to open his eyes to the wonders of God’s word. Apostle Paul makes this prayer for the believers that our eyes will be opened to the wisdom and revelation so that we can know the Lord Jesus more and more (Ephesians 1:17,18). We need to pray, Lord, open our eyes too!
