Am I blind?

Friends in Faith:

I am always amazed when I realize that someone whom I know has no sight can tell exactly where I am or even who I am in a room where they are not familiar. They make me wonder what there is that I am missing, that I cannot see.

Two old sayings come into mind as I think of my blindness: “stepping over a dime to pick up a nickel” and “stop and smell the roses.”

Now, you may be thinking these two sayings have nothing to do with each other—but they really do—they can both refer to our “blindness” in the way we approach our daily lives and the people we meet.

In the one we are “seeing” the easy way to get something we want and yet we are missing God’s way which society makes seem too difficult—we are blind to God’s presence in our lives.

And in the second we are missing the sheer beauty, the profound truths, that God is putting in front of us each day. I am referring to the simplest, tiniest (or maybe most important) people or person in our lives that society instead wants us to “see” as too needy, too changeable, or too time consuming.

Things like caring for the unborn and orphans; stopping to give a hand to someone elderly, or offering them our seat in a crowded room; or lending a kind, caring, loving ear to our spouse, child or friend, when they seem to be angry, but are really just testing the unconditional love we have professed.

How often have I “been blind,” only to later “see” my error in judgment? How often have I not defended the “right to life,” spoken unkindly about my spouse or avoided someone who needed my help?

“One thing I do know is that I was blind and now I see.” ….“Then Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see might see, and those who do see might become blind.” Jn 9:1-41 or 9:1, 6-9, 13-17, 34-38

How often have I waited for someone else to do what my heart told me to do and then was a little envious because someone else received the smiling “thank you?”

“Unless you people see signs and wonders, you will not believe.” Jn 4:43-54

How often have I judged by appearance, only to find out that someone who had immense knowledge and experience was within arms reach and yet I had avoided them because they “looked” a little different?

“Not as man sees does God see, because man sees the appearance but the LORD looks into the heart.” 1 Sm 16:1b, 6-7, 10-13a

Heavenly Father: I will praise you, Lord, for you have rescued me. Ps 30:2 Open my eyes, my ears and my heart so that I may not be blind to Your presence in my life. Help me to smell the roses. Help me to “see” those who need a caring hand, a loving look and a kind word. Thank you for the amazing gifts you put in my life each day, a husband who leads, children and parents to love, and friends who care. Help me to not take them for granted and to give them back to you in the same spirit that you have given them to me. Amen.

May you all be blessed with the gift of Christ’s light and an open “seeing” heart,
Charlotte

Attention

Women of Faith:

My journal this week says, “Destruction brings unity.” It made me think about how our country and the world unified in the days following 9-11. And how the people around Parkersburg united following a devastating tornado and then the death of Ed Thomas, mentor and coach.

Are we at attention as God calls us to be? Are we still unified or have we fallen back asleep? Are we still calling on God in our lives as we did in the days after 9-11? Yesterday’s and today’s readings call us to be ready, to see the signs, to change our hearts and to have faith. They talk of the end times, of our blindness to sin and the signs that Jesus is near.

“When you hear of wars and insurrections, do not be terrified; for such things must happen first, but it will not immediately be the end." Then he said to them, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be powerful earthquakes, famines, and plagues from place to place; and awesome sights and mighty signs will come from the sky.” Lk 21:5-19

“The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him, to show his servants what must happen soon. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, who gives witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ by reporting what he saw. Blessed is the one who reads aloud and blessed are those who listen to this prophetic message and heed what is written in it, for the appointed time is near.” Rv 1:1-4; 2:1-5

“Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.” He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God.” Lk 18:35-43

Jesus is always near, whether it is the end time or not, because our lives here on earth are numbered. We don’t know whether we have only today, tomorrow or a 100 tomorrows to be with God, in God and thru God.

And like the blind man, we are to have faith even when we cannot see the destruction (sin). Because the most harmful destruction is the destruction in our hearts, the anger, the unforgiveness, the selfishness that is caused by materialism, by succumbing to societies law, instead of living God’s law and by the blindness of our human failings, the sins we choose to ignore.

We are called to be at attention, to pray more, to seek His forgiveness, to heed His message and live His commandments. We are to have faith, even in our blindness, and hope in God’s promises to keep us from eternal harm, IF we heed His message.

And if you knew that today was your last, what would you do differently? Would you be more tolerant of your own sufferings? Would you be more patient with your spouse’s bad habits? Would you take better care of your body, speak with more kindness, or love more? Would you be less about yourself, and more about others--spending your time or money caring for the needy, homeless, hungry or lonely?
Would we act more deliberately, with more intention, like we did in the days following 9-11?

God calls us to hear his message, to pray harder, to live in faith. When disaster happens, when a loved one is taken away from us, when Jesus comes again, then it may be too late to change. We must already be at His attention living his commands.

As Father said, just thinking about change is not enough, we must change from our hearts, and have hope that our change will affect others; because the more we love, the more others will love; because the faith that others see in us, will give others an example of the joy His faith brings. As God’s people we are to be His living bible, His living message.

Almighty Father, Lover of All, Bring us to your attention. Help us to live your words, to forgive those who have wronged us, and to pray for those who have not yet come to see you in their lives. Thank you for the blessing of seeing change in those we love. Help us to never grow weary, to become complacent, or to think that it is someone else who needs to change. Change me. Protect me. Keep ME at Attention. Amen.

Do we have God’s attention because we are following, leading or dividing His church?

Make the move! Come to God’s peaceful, loving, and forgiving attention. Blessings!
Charlotte