I Can’t Believe My Eyes

 

A song inspired by the “Passion of Christ” and made popular by Brad Paisley and Sarah Evans reminds us that most of God’s true work is missed by the human eye. We really do see dimly, as through a glass. We want to see things happen in the physical- with our own eyes, but God invites the follower of Christ to see things as they really are- in the spiritual, with the eyes of Jesus.

One part of the song has the singer in the character of Jesus saying to His mother (his disciples and us):

"Whatever happens

Whatever you see

Whatever your eyes tell you has become of me

This is not- it’s not the end

I am making all things new again."

Can you just feel the anguish and pain and, yes, the confusion in the hearts and minds of Jesus’ followers at the events just previous to and including His crucifixion? Don’t tell me you can’t because Jesus had already told them about his death and even his resurrection again. Don’t tell me the disciples simply were not paying attention (again) and should have known the plan and had more faith. We all know our humanness, and even walking with Jesus daily, it takes effort and concentration and constant attention to what and how we are thinking to keep from only seeing things through our natural and physical eyes. We long to see the big picture. Too often, however, the tangible world that we live in is too great to rise above.

That is why Jesus continually reminds us to live and walk and have our being in the Spirit instead of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-18). Whatever our physical eyes tell us is happening is not the end of it. When Jesus returned to His heavenly home, after completing His mission here on earth, He promised, and then sent the Holy Spirit to not only comfort us, but also to guide us in all truth (John 14:26). Truth is not just what we experience with our five senses. Indeed, many times the truth of a matter can be just the opposite of what our 5 senses can pick up on. The truth of a matter is often what we can not see on the surface. Truth is spiritual.

Remember when Jesus was before Pilate in His so called “trial”? Pilate questioned Jesus about whom and what He was all about. Jesus told him the truth, but it was incomprehensible to Pilate. Jesus continued with the truth, and Pilate finally said in despair- what is truth? He couldn’t comprehend it. He only knew what his logical mind and senses told him. The reality of the matter escaped him.

There is hope for us, however. Go back to those days surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. There was gloom and disillusionment, grief and suffering (and for some a sense of victory). Then came the resurrection morning and still more confusion and doubt, but the key is the Emmaus encounter. The Bible says that ‘Then their eyes were opened and they understood’. Obviously they had not been walking down the road with their eyes closed, so it refers to the eyes of their heart. Popular worship choruses call out to God to “open the eyes of my heart, Lord”.

 
We can not just look and see with our natural eyes. Looking with natural eyes causes us to fear… but God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind (2Tim. 1:7). Looking with natural eyes causes us to doubt, but God wants us to TRUST (Proverbs 3:5). Looking with the natural eye causes us to misunderstand and be confused, to wonder which way to go, but the Spirit of God says- this is the way, walk in it (Isaiah 30:21). Indeed, we need our eves opened to all that God is doing in our midst and wants to do through us.

 
Jesus says in John chapter 5 verse 17 that He and the Father are always working. Whether we see Him or not, whether we acknowledge Him or His work in our lives or not, God is always at work. Take heart, my friend. Pray that same prayer of the worship chorus, and remember:

“Whatever happens

Whatever you see

Whatever your eyes tell you….

This is not-it’s not the end…”

There is so much more… in Christ, and He is “making all things new again”.