Open Eyes

“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people.” Ephesians 1:18

The early church leader, Augustine, was once approached by a pagan who had his idol in his hand as he said, “Here is my god. Where is yours?” Augustine replied, “I cannot show you my God; not because there is no God to show, but because you have no eyes to see Him.” Augustine was not talking about having physical eyes to see God, but rather spiritual ones. The Apostle Paul wrote about these “eyes of the heart” in Ephesians 1:18.

Paul knew what it was to be spiritually blind. It wasn't until the road to Damascus that God literally took his physical sight away so that the eyes of his heart would be opened. As followers of Christ, it is so important that we learn to see with the eyes of our hearts. When we look at things only with our physical eyes, we are unable to see past our circumstances to the eternal purpose and plan of God. This limited view can leave us frustrated, anxious, and even angry when things aren’t going the way we want or expect them to go.

When we learn to open the eyes of our hearts, we can fully experience the sufficiency and goodness of God. When we learn to see past the hard, we can see the grace. As followers of Jesus, we must demonstrate to the world that there is much more than what can be physically seen. This world is not our home, and we must learn to live our lives in a way that points to eternity.

Most importantly, the eyes of our hearts illuminate the grace of God towards us. Notice Paul’s prayer in Ephesians 1:18. He longs for God’s people to know, “the hope to which He has called you,” and the “riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people.” Without spiritual eyes, we will never fully comprehend all that is ours in Christ.

Jesus, I pray that You would open the eyes of my heart so that I can fully experience Your goodness and grace. Help me to see past the here and now to Your eternal purpose and plan. In Your name I pray, Amen.