Sunday, February 11, 2018

Open Our Eyes

February 2018 Communion Thoughts
Perspective changes everything.  Have you ever had an “aha moment?”  You know...an epiphany, an attitude adjustment, or an eye opening experience?

Liam, when he was four years old, attended a play put on by kids at the Alliance Firehouse Theater.  In the play, a young lady and young man, who had slowly been falling in love with one another came to that moment when the young lady asked, "have you ever kissed a girl before?"  Silence filled the theater. The young couple leaned in and Liam courageously yells (with all his might) "NO!!!" The auditorium abruptly filled with laughter. Also, a few Sundays ago.  After baptism, Tony said, “and all God’s people said?” Everybody said, “Amen” and Liam loudly asked, “and all dogs and people said?” With time, Liam’s perspective about girls and common phrases will change.

Some of my favorite stories in the bible include perspective change.  Balaam is trying to get his donkey to take him where God does not want him to go.  The donkey won’t budge. Balaam starts beating the donkey. God allows the donkey to speak and the donkey states, "What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" 29Then Balaam said to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me!” They proceed to have a brief discussion, but then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.”  The donkey was able to see something Balaam could not see. The donkey had a better perspective than Balaam.

Another favorite story includes Elisha and his servant.  They are both surrounded by the enemy on horses and chariots.  Elisha’s servant is terrified. Elisha, not fearful at all, wants his servant to see what Elisha sees.  So he prays, “O Lord, open his eyes that he may see. And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”

How do we find the right perspective?  Once we find it, how do we not forget it?  Communion allows us to remember Christ’s body and blood that was the greatest sacrifice for us.  His resurrection allows us to see and live differently. Imagine what life was like before Christ.  Imagine being an Israelite.

The old way emphasized, “don’t sin because God will punish you,” The new way states, “don’t sin because you love others and you love Jesus.”  The old way would say, live your life in a way that pleases God so that you can get to the promised land. The new way would say, live your life in a way that shows Christ’s love to others so that they can get to the promised land.  The old way, was about me. The new way is not about me.

Father, thank you for fresh perspectives.  Father, we confess, sometimes we don’t understand. Sometimes we sin because we don’t see the way we should.  Sometimes we struggle for perspective. Forgive us when we sin. We thank you for giving us Jesus. Jesus, we thank you for being a game changer.  Thank you for the new way. Thank you for opening our eyes. Help us know your love that surpasses knowledge.

Open Our Eyes!

Perspective changes everything.  Have you ever had an “aha moment?”  You know...an epiphany, an attitude adjustment, or an eye opening experience?


Liam, when he was four years old, attended a play put on by kids at the Alliance Firehouse
Theater.  In the play, a young lady and young man, who had slowly been falling in love with
one another came to that moment when the young lady asked, "have you ever kissed a girl
before?"  Silence filled the theater.  The young couple leaned in and Liam courageously yells
(with all his might) "NO!!!"  The auditorium abruptly filled with laughter.   Also, a few Sundays
ago.  After baptism, Tony said, “and all God’s people said?” Everybody said, “Amen” and Liam
loudly asked, “and all dogs and people said?”   With time, Liam’s perspective about girls and
common phrases will change.


Some of my favorite stories in the bible include perspective change.  Balaam is trying to get
his donkey to take him where God does not want him to go.  The donkey won’t budge.  
Balaam starts beating the donkey.  God allows the donkey to speak and the donkey states,
"What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?" 29Then Balaam said
to the donkey, "Because you have made a mockery of me!” They proceed to have a brief
discussion, but then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD
standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.”  The donkey
was able to see something Balaam could not see.  The donkey had a better perspective than
Balaam.  


Another favorite story includes Elisha and his servant.  They are both surrounded by the
enemy on horses and chariots.  Elisha’s servant is terrified.  Elisha, not fearful at all, wants
his servant to see what Elisha sees.  So he prays, “O Lord, open his eyes that he may see.  
And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of
horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”


How do we find the right perspective?  Once we find it, how do we not forget it?  Communion
allows us to remember Christ’s body and blood that was the greatest sacrifice for us.  His
resurrection allows us to see and live differently.  Imagine what life was like before Christ.  
Imagine being an Israelite.  


The old way emphasized, “don’t sin because God will punish you,” The new way states,
“don’t sin because you love others and you love Jesus.”  The old way would say, live your
life in a way that pleases God so that you can get to the promised land.  The new way would
say, live your life in a way that shows Christ’s love to others so that they can get to the
promised land.  The old way, was about me.  The new way is not about me.  

Father, thank you for fresh perspectives.  Father, we confess, sometimes we don’t
understand. Sometimes we sin because we don’t see the way we should.  Sometimes we
struggle for perspective.  Forgive us when we sin.  We thank you for giving us Jesus.  Jesus,
we thank you for being a game changer.  Thank you for the new way. Thank you for opening
our eyes.   Help us know your love that surpasses knowledge.