THE MORNING AFTER CATARACT SURGERY, I looked out the kitchen window and was astounded to discover that the house next door is actually painted bright white. Here I’d always thought it was beige!
We all know the line from the old hymn: “I once was lost but now am found, was blind but now I see.” My own eyesight (not blurry enough to be called blind, but plenty blurry) was physically restored, and now I see. In scripture, the restoration of sight is often a metaphor for spiritual awakening.
Vision restored
Take a look at the ninth chapter of the book of Acts for the most vivid scriptural illustration of that. Ferocious Saul is struck blind on his way to murder the believers in Damascus. But after his eyesight is miraculously restored, he starts preaching that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the Messiah. Now that’s a spiritual awakening!
His vision restored, Saul (Paul in Greek) saw that he’d been wrong about Jesus and his disciples. He saw through the eyes of his heart that he had to change his ways, and he spent the rest of his life proclaiming the Good News.
When we open the eyes of our hearts (see Ephesians 1:17-18), we can see what God wants to show us, what God is calling us to do. What do you see?
Audrey Novak Riley is director of stewardship for Women of the ELCA. Photo by Bud Helisson on Unsplash
Ways to give
Your generous giving to Women of the ELCA “Where Needed Most” supports these monthly devotions as well as our many other communications ministries, including Gather magazine, Boldcafe.org, and much more.
Give online at welca.org/give, or mail your check, made out to Women of the ELCA with “Where Needed Most” written on the memo line, to:
Women of the ELCA
c/o ELCA Gift Processing Center
P.O. Box 1809
Merrifield VA 22118
reply
retweet
favorite