Celebrate Hope: Looking Back Stepping UpBeispiel

Closed Eyes This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. - Matthew 13:13 As an artist, I’m fascinated by the way people see. Think of picture games that ask, What do you see? In one image, some see a lady with a hat on and others see a bird sitting in a tree. How is it two people can look at the same picture and see two different things? Jesus’ disciples asked why He spoke in the spiritual illustrations known as parables (Matthew 13:10). Quoting the prophet Jeremiah, Jesus answered, “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand” (v. 13). He added, “For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them” (v. 15). My hope is not in people seeing correctly. My hope is in the God who opens the eyes of our hearts to see what He wants us to see. Apart from His supernatural power to open our eyes, we remain blind, without understanding, and without hope. Let’s pray to the God of our seeing that once He allows us to see and hear and understand with our heart we would turn to Him with all our heart. My hope is in His ability to help us to see, to sensitize our dull hearts, and to heal us. —Genie McGee Do you need Jesus to open your eyes to anything today? Father, we need You to give us supernatural sight. We don’t want to miss what You are doing in us and around us.