Earthly Eyes or
Heavenly Vision?

When we open our Bibles, are we ready to hear what God says even when it differs from what we hope to hear or feel realistic through our earthly eyes? We may want peace while assuming certain circumstances must change before we can experience it. We may seek
assurance while looking for a promise that life will unfold the way we think it should. We may limit God’s greatness because we cannot understand it. We may even put a limit on what God has promised because we don’t have enough faith in the power of the Holy Spirit who lives within each of us Christians. But what if the peace the Bible promises and we seek centers around a focus on the greatness
of God, rather than a better set of circumstances?

Since retiring—and in the months leading up to it—God has been and is teaching me to find peace in what I cannot fully comprehend about Him and His ways. As I considered another technology position, I weighed financial concerns, the expectations of others, and my own ideas about productivity. Would retiring be irresponsible? Should I replace my career with a full-time volunteer commitment? As these questions arose, I kept returning to the priorities behind retirement: being there for Jen, strengthening our marriage, and making room for the opportunities God places before me. Focusing on those priorities as well as circumstances brought clarity to God’s direction. The step left for me was to believe God will provide.

“Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” — Psalm 145:3
“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” — Matthew 22:37

 

Psalm 145:3 directs our attention to His incomprehensible greatness. Matthew 22:37 calls us to love Him wholeheartedly. Neither passage makes our worship dependent on understanding His plans or receiving the outcome we desire. God does not have to become more understandable—or our circumstances more comfortable—to be worthy of our wholehearted love.

One of the greatest blessings of creating this newsletter every week has been the time spent reflecting on God's character leading to worship. It has helped me move beyond simply learning about God to spending more time meditating on who He is and worshiping Him for it. J.I. Packer writes in Knowing God that the joy, delight, and contentment that come from truly knowing God (not just knowing about God) are the best things in this life. I'm finding that the more time I spend reflecting on who God is, the more I understand what Packer means.

“Let faith support us where reason fails, and we shall think because we believe, not in order that we may believe.” — A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy

The A.W. Tozer quote above captures this topic beautifully and applies to God’s character and is also applicable to my peace, contentment, joy, where I want to spend my time, etc. I shouldn’t be putting limits on God’s promises because I don’t have faith that being in a closer relationship with God can and will change my perspective on everything in this life. Earthly eyes focus on what we think we should accomplish, what we think we can accomplish, what others think we should accomplish, and whether we are doing enough. Heavenly vision begins with God—who He is, what He values, and where He is leading us.

Personal Reflection

• Am I allowing God’s Word to shape our expectations—or allowing my expectations to shape what I think His Word means?

• Am I limiting any of God’s promises by focusing on what I can or cannot do, rather than focusing on what He can do in me?