Can You See What I See?
Matthew Chapter 13
Scripture= Matthew 13:13 – 15
This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.
Observations and Applications=
I remember as a child sitting in the doctor’s office and reading a magazine that had a page where you tried to find hidden objects in a picture. I can’t remember the name of the magazine but I loved the challenge and the hunting. Years later as an adult I remember something similar that was just as fun and even more challenging. You had to stare at a real complex picture and focus at a certain point and all of a sudden these hidden images would emerge into your eyesight. It was awesome! If you tried to explain it to someone they would get frustrated when they couldn’t spot the submerged images. They had to look and find the hidden pictures for themselves. Sometimes the harder you tried to find what was hidden the longer it took, that is if you ever found them. What you had to do was just let your eyes relax and your brain would start to discern the before hidden pictures.
When I read this chapter in Matthew I thought of these eye puzzles. At first you think you see all that there is to see within the picture but there are really hidden images that must be discerned. This is just like the parables that Jesus used to teach the people. You think you are hearing a simple story but there is a much deeper meaning that must be discerned. Sometimes you really have to concentrate and give your all to really find the hidden meanings. At other times you have to just relax and trust that the meaning will come to you. The scary thing is when we think we already see everything and quit trying to find the truth that God wants to teach us. All of a sudden even the simple things can become blurry and we stop seeing what counts. We settle for what we want to see or refuse to accept what God really wants to show us.
Just like searching the pictures that have hidden images we must never grow weary, bored or above seeing the truths that Jesus is trying to reveal to us. No matter the circumstances you might find yourself in, there is something to see and discover if we are willing to learn. The Kingdom of heaven is meant to be experienced here and now by those who will allow God to reveal from their everyday lives the hidden images (truths) of the kingdom.
What was the Holy Spirit speaking to you about as you read this today? Do you search for the hidden things? Are you ready and open to see them? Will you trust God to reveal them to you? Will you respond to what you are shown?
Prayer= Lord Jesus, I want to see what you see. I want to hear what you say. I want to always have a hunger to learn from you, a willingness to receive what you give me and a boldness to obey whatever you ask me to do.
Scripture= Matthew 13:13 – 15
This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.
Observations and Applications=
I remember as a child sitting in the doctor’s office and reading a magazine that had a page where you tried to find hidden objects in a picture. I can’t remember the name of the magazine but I loved the challenge and the hunting. Years later as an adult I remember something similar that was just as fun and even more challenging. You had to stare at a real complex picture and focus at a certain point and all of a sudden these hidden images would emerge into your eyesight. It was awesome! If you tried to explain it to someone they would get frustrated when they couldn’t spot the submerged images. They had to look and find the hidden pictures for themselves. Sometimes the harder you tried to find what was hidden the longer it took, that is if you ever found them. What you had to do was just let your eyes relax and your brain would start to discern the before hidden pictures.
When I read this chapter in Matthew I thought of these eye puzzles. At first you think you see all that there is to see within the picture but there are really hidden images that must be discerned. This is just like the parables that Jesus used to teach the people. You think you are hearing a simple story but there is a much deeper meaning that must be discerned. Sometimes you really have to concentrate and give your all to really find the hidden meanings. At other times you have to just relax and trust that the meaning will come to you. The scary thing is when we think we already see everything and quit trying to find the truth that God wants to teach us. All of a sudden even the simple things can become blurry and we stop seeing what counts. We settle for what we want to see or refuse to accept what God really wants to show us.
Just like searching the pictures that have hidden images we must never grow weary, bored or above seeing the truths that Jesus is trying to reveal to us. No matter the circumstances you might find yourself in, there is something to see and discover if we are willing to learn. The Kingdom of heaven is meant to be experienced here and now by those who will allow God to reveal from their everyday lives the hidden images (truths) of the kingdom.
What was the Holy Spirit speaking to you about as you read this today? Do you search for the hidden things? Are you ready and open to see them? Will you trust God to reveal them to you? Will you respond to what you are shown?
Prayer= Lord Jesus, I want to see what you see. I want to hear what you say. I want to always have a hunger to learn from you, a willingness to receive what you give me and a boldness to obey whatever you ask me to do.
