Open your eyes to a new reality
Every day we're reading or listening to part of the Bible together and sharing thoughts with you. Today it’s Bern Leckie:
What did I like about today's passage?
Jesus says and shows a LOT of amazing stuff here. But what grabbed my attention today was “the lamp of the body”. When I see this, I usually mix it up with what Jesus says about the lamp that gets put on a stand to bring light that removes shadows and secrecy. Luke wrote about this earlier (Luke 8:16), and Mark also quoted Jesus on this (Mark 4:21). Matthew takes it further and quotes Jesus as saying we have light to shine to others, showing our good deeds so God can be glorified (Matthew 5:15). That’s encouraging, that what we do can illuminate the world and help people to see God.
But it’s not what Jesus is saying here in Luke 11:33. He’s talking about light we need to come into us. It enters through eyes we need to keep healthy and open, and then the darkness within us can be defeated by light.
What I love about this is that if I only read about the light I’m meant to be giving out, I could spend a lifetime trying to generate that light within myself, do my best, dig deep for some brilliant passion and then just try not to mess up or get too tired. I do believe that the Spirit lives in me and equips me to be “the light of the world” as Jesus puts it. But how do we know what to do? How do we know what’s right when we try and discern spiritual things?
Luke made this clear to his audience of people who were largely not Jewish and just getting into a new world of discovering God. Good news – it’s easy! Just open your eyes! With everything that Jesus is showing, and that the Spirit is doing right in front of our eyes, we only have to look to get illuminated, clued up and cleaned up to be fit for purpose in God’s kingdom. Isn’t that encouraging?
What did it show me about Father God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit?
Jesus talks a lot in this passage about the battle between God and enemies, light and darkness, along with signs that God is going to win. He also reassures believers that in his new kingdom reality, prayer is simple and effective when we look for that kingdom coming and trust God to meet our needs.
God knows that we can easily let things get in the way between us and clear view of him, like religious confusion, worry and desires for possessions. But he has moved heaven and earth to restore closeness to us and simply needs us to open our eyes to see it.
What am I going to do differently as a result?
Pray simple prayers next week, on the pattern Jesus says, and increase my trust in God.
Who am I going to share this with?
My family and others I pray with.