Stewarding Spiritual Sight
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” 2 Corinthians 4:3-6
There was a time in the not-so-distant past when you and I were spiritually blind. The “god” of this world had blinded us to keep us from “seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.” But God, because of His great love, and in His perfect timing, chose to shine into our hearts “to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,” and when we saw His glory in the gospel, and believed, we were saved. Praise the Lord!
Spiritual sight leads to spiritual life.
In giving you and I spiritual sight God has given to us an incredible gift, because not only are we saved through spiritual sight, we are also sanctified through spiritual sight. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says “And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.” As we choose to exercise spiritual sight, and behold the glory of God, the Holy Spirit works powerfully within us to bear good fruit.
If we choose not to exercise spiritual sight we will suffer from spiritual blindness leading to spiritual apathy.
Imagine a person being cured of blindness, then choosing to live their life blindfolded. It would make no sense! But that’s exactly what we do when we choose to focus on the things of the world instead of the glory of God; we have “blindfold” ourselves with the things of this world, leading us into spiritual apathy. Psalm 115:4-8 demonstrates this progression: “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see. They have ears, but do not hear; noses, but do not smell. They have hands, but do not feel; feet, but do not walk; and they do not make a sound in their throat. Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”
If we choose to set our sights on things of the world we volunteer to be blindfolded, and volunteering to be blindfolded is volunteering for apathy. If we are going to be faithful stewards of our spiritual sight this Easter (and beyond) we will have to be intentional about going where the glory of God can be seen so that we can spend time with Him at the centre. The place where the glory of God can be seen brightest on this side of eternity is the cross where the wrath, justice, wisdom, sovereignty, mercy, grace, and love of God are put on display.
At the cross we see we aren’t receiving what we truly deserve. Jesus Christ took the wrath of God that we deserve for our sin upon Himself. Every single moment we are not under the wrath of God is another moment of infinite mercy upon our lives.
At the cross we see we are receiving what we don’t deserve. Jesus paid our debt in full, His righteousness has been credited to our account, we have been justified in the sight of God, we have been adopted by God and made heirs with Christ, and we have been promised sufficient grace for today! Therefore every moment we receive what we don’t deserve (which is always), is another moment of infinite grace upon our lives purchased at the cross.
Let us go to the cross, focus on our God, and grow in worship of Him. Amen.
This week we encourage you to share your prayer requests with our church family and worship with us in an attitude of reflection and reverence for the cross. Click the buttons below to see the prayer wall or listen to our Holy Week playlist.
