I love the cartoons when a character learns or realizes
something and a light bulb turns on over their head. It is when something finally comes into
understanding. God does that for
us. He turns on the light bulbs. He gives us wisdom.
Here are two different versions of the same verse:
Ephesians 1:18 HCSB
I pray that
the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may
know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His
inheritance among the saints,
Ephesians 1:18 NLT
I pray that
your hearts will be flooded with
light so that you can understand
the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his
rich and glorious inheritance.
The Apostle Paul prayed that someone would be able to see
past their perception. He prayed that
they would be enlightened. I love the
phrase “flooded with light”. God helps
us see what we cannot see on our own. He
opens our minds and our hearts to the things that only He can do. Folks, that is faith at work. Faith helps us see past human thinking and
seeing to divine thinking and seeing.
I want to see as God sees.
I did not say that I want to be like God or that I am like God. What I said was that I want to be able to
see. Can you imagine not having to guess
about things when making decisions or knowing what the future knows? God knows everything. Therefore, following God makes sense. He sees further. He leads us further. He knows it all. He leads us in ways and to places that we
cannot go without Him.
There is power in perspective. I believe that God wants His church to attempt
things that we cannot do without Him. I
believe that God desires to demonstrate His goodness and His grace to the
world, yet our human perception and our small thinking keep us from seeing God
and helping others see God.
As a leader and a pastor I have to see further. I desire to lead a great group of people to
be who God called them to be and to attempt things that only God can help them
do. There is faith at work. There is God given perception. There are our hearts big time flooded with
light.
Walk into a place that is dark and at one moment have all the
lights, and I mean bright lights, turned on at the same time. It almost blinds you. Your eyes have to adjust. Notice as you walk out of a well lit room and
into a dark places that after a little while your eyes begin to adjust, and you
are able to see even though it is somewhat dark.
There you have it.
That is how God gives us His perception.
He takes us when we cannot see or have trouble seeing and helps us to
see. Often it takes a little time, it
takes patience on our part, and it takes trusting God. There is power in perception that God gives
us.
May God flood our understanding with His incredible light so
that we see and we help others see the greatness and the grace of our God.
Instead, God chose things the world considers
foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who
are powerful.
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