Some say that the senses are the windows to the soul, but windows are always seen through whether open or closed. Another comparison is that senses are gates to our inner being: they let things in and things out but unlike windows, gates need permission of the owner to open and close. Merriman-Webster defines senses: “ability to understand, recognize, value, or react to something, especially any of the five physical abilities to see, hear, smell, taste, and feel”.
Seeing: to perceive by the eye, what I choose to allow in through my eyes.
Somethings can’t be helped, but evaluating as if seeing them through Jesus eyes may change one’s perspective. One example is what happens when we pull up next to someone at a stoplight. In glancing over, we may see signs of ungodly living in the car next to us. We can enter into prayer for that person’s salvation and deliverance without ever knowing the person. It may not be what we would choose to see, but we can bring that person to God’s throne of grace. Those prayers may be the first ever offered for that person and they can be a strengthening to our own faith.
We can physically close our eyes to things, but even the will to do that comes from God as he works to change our thinking, so what to look at becomes a decision. Vicarious living through the TV, video games, and magazines requires determination to eliminate some selections. How do I ‘react to’ somethings in my current eye gate choices?
· Ps 119:18 “Open my eyes to see the wonderful truths in your instructions.”
· Ps 119:37 “Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through your word.”
· Heb 12:1,2a “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.”
Father God, help us to give You permission to cleanse our eyesight. Even a runner in a race needs to keep his eyesight sharp and focused on the goal. He cannot be distracted by things he sees, or by internal pictures other than the goal. Help us to keep focused on following Jesus, on who and where He is, and the goal set before us.
