2 Peter 1 v 9: "For whoever lacks these qualities is blind,
[spiritually] shortsighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has
become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins."
I'm quite a petite lass. It has huge disadvantages. For example, I can't reach things in the supermarket on the top shelf. I can't even reach stuff in my own kitchen cupboards or the top shelf of the fridge-freezer. I keep a little step handy about the house, but that doesn't help when I'm in a shop or out and about somewhere.
I feel for my little girl - she can't reach hand driers in the loos when we're out, and she can't see things that I can. I have to lift her up. Earlier this week, we were in the garden, and I was looking in a large pot we have a fruit tree in. There were some rogue strawberries in the pot that had fallen off the strawberry plant next to it. I called her over to look and she said she couldn't see them. I thought she was just looking on the wrong place so I stooped down to her level and sure enough, she could only see the pot, not inside it. She can't see the train from our garden either when it is running on the heritage railway near our house. She's just too small.
Why am I telling you all this? I'm not having a moan about being vertically challenged. A tiny phrase really struck me from 2 Peter 1 v 9: "For whoever lacks these qualities is blind, [spiritually] shortsighted, seeing only what is near to him, and has become oblivious [to the fact] that he was cleansed from his old sins." The words "seeing only what is near to him" really made me think. Sometimes because of where we are (physically, emotionally, spiritually), we appear almost blind or nearsighted. We see what's immediately in front of us, but we can't see just beyond that. Just like my little girl can't see the steam from the train from our garden, she can only see the garden fence. When I lift her up, I change her perspective and she has a different vantage point and can see further. Sometimes, when we're in turmoil emotionally, we can't see clearly. Our perspective is hampered by the pains and the hurts that fence out the light and the clarity in our hearts.
What can you see today from your perspective? Perhaps you are going through a tough time in your life. Maybe money is tight; you look at your incomings and outgoings and it's not good. You see bills and debts and not enough money to cover them. You see your balance going further into the red. If you look at God as your provider and you'll see abundance where there was lack. Look to the feeding of the 5000, there was only a small amount of food, but Jesus saw beyond that small amount and His trust in God to supply was amazing to all around as the lack turned into abundance.
Maybe you're hurting emotionally, someone has hurt you, your heart is aching and broken. If you look to the lover of your soul, you'll see He has come to heal the broken-hearted. He pours out His love and mercy on all those who are oppressed and He is the lifter of our heads. Turn to Ephesians 3v 18-19 and see how deep He loves us. Meditate on John 3v16, and allow the love of God to wash over you as you lift your eyes to Him and allow Him to heal your heart and restore your relationships.
Maybe you're lonely, you can't seem to make friends or family is far away. You look around and see happy families, friends having fun and you crave that. If you look to the Holy Spirit, He is your comforter, your friend, your guide. He'd love to share your day with you. He'd love to hear you telling Him all your feelings and He'd love to give you comfort. He'll lead you to friendships and Hell elp you heal family rifts. Take the time to ask how someone is, take the time to listen and soon you'll be surrounded by people who you can call friends. Allow forgiveness to blossom in your heart and your family relationships can be renewed and restored.
Perhaps you're ill, battling some ailment that has you mentally tired as well as physically bound by the symptoms. You have taken the medical advice but there's no improvement. You see nothing beyond the physical pain and discomfort. Look to Jesus, He is your healer. He healed all who came to Him. He never left anyone in sickness. He touched the lepers whom society shunned. Maybe one day your testimony of healing will inspire hope in someone else, maybe it will lead someone to Jesus. Hold on to your promise that He has "borne all of our sicknesses and diseases". Don't let the promise of healing go. It is yours. As Jesus is, so are you in this world. And Jesus is not ill in any way.
Maybe you are spiritually in a hard place. You've been calling out to God for something and heaven is silent. You see others getting answered prayers, being blessed but your life feels barren. God is listening. He hears every prayer, He knows your heart, and He loves you. He wants you to come to Him, tell Him your heart and He wants to bless you. He wants you to know that you don't have to "earn" your righteousness. Your righteousness is a gift from Him through Jesus. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8). He wants you to come boldly into His presence; you are not unworthy, because of the grace of God. He sacrificed His own Son for us. There's no need for a veil to the Holy of Holies any longer. The veil was torn and the way is open for us to enter into His presence. Stop looking to your own works and efforts to be good enough - it's not necessary. He bids us come. Come into His presence and receive of His goodness. Don't let your hope fail.
Sometimes, we look at things and see only what is in front of our eyes. We forget we've been cleansed from our sins. The issues and strains of life get so big, it's like the big fence that shields us from what is beyond. We look at the circumstances and we know that there's a promise for us, a hope, but we can't see it. Like the strawberries in the pot, my little girl knew they were there, she just couldn't see them. She needed a higher perspective. She needed a lift. Get your lift today from the Word. Surround yourself with people who will lift you up and encourage you when you're feeling low; who will help you to change your perspective. Lift yourself up in the Word and the promises of Him Who loves you. Don't let the circumstances that surround you hamper your perspective. Stand on the Word and see everything through Jesus and the light of the Word.
Be blessed x
