2020 Vision
“The Lord opens the eyes of the blind…”(Psalm 146:8)
“He laid His hands on his eyes….and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.” (Mark 8:24-25)
As a little girl in first grade, I was a shy, quiet and obedient student, so the teacher placed me in a desk near the back of the class. I hated sitting in the back row, because I couldn’t see what was written on the board. In fourth grade a friend came to school with new glasses and I tried them on. Suddenly, I realized for the first time that the reason I couldn’t see the board was because my vision was bad. Really bad! When my parents finally recognized that I didn’t want glasses just because my friend had glasses, they took me to visit the optometrist.
The doctor carefully checked my vision using multiple lenses asking me repeatedly, “Which is better, number one or number two?” After what seemed like forever, it was discovered that I was extremely near-sighted. I could easily see up close to read a book, but my distance vision was 20/600. The prescription was written, new glasses were made, and when I slipped them on my face, everything was new and clear! Putting on those new glasses changed my world!
Before salvation we are blind spiritually and ignorant of our need for spiritual sight. When God sends someone or allows some circumstance to reveal our spiritual blindness, we become increasingly aware that we are missing something. The Holy Spirit continues to expose our deficiencies as the Lord gives Light with a glimpse of the Savior! When we look through the lens of faith, the Light of the World shines and changes everything. Once we were blind, but now we see clearly!
As I grew physically, my eyes continued to change, sometimes so gradually I didn’t even recognize the change. The doctor’s re-examination would reveal the need for a new prescription and often new frames. The correct lenses would be cut and placed carefully into new frames that better fit my age, lifestyle, and personality. With each change, crystal-clear 20/20 vision was restored.
Early during this the past decade, life began to change, subtly and ever so slightly. We were settled in the ministry serving in a local church, as pastor and pastor’s wife, doing what God had called us to do many years ago. What once was as clear as crystal now seemed as clear as mud. We strained and squinted trying to see what we should do to be more effective in our current ministry, but nothing seemed to make sense. The framework of our current state became uncomfortable. It didn’t seem to fit the way it had for so many years. We struggled to see, but we couldn’t make out the pathway or even the next step. As God began adjusting the lenses through circumstances and people He had placed in our lives, we began to see a sharper vision of what to do next. We realized that we needed a new plan to accomplish a new vision. Not just new lenses, but a completely new framework to fit the work we knew He was calling us to do.
As we enter this new decade, we are joyfully wearing the new “glasses” God prescribed for us – new lenses for the ministry (in missions) and a new framework in which to accomplish this (a new location with different responsibilities). It was hard to give up the old comfortable frames and lenses we were accustomed to wearing for so many years. It took us a while to get used to the new ones. But in this new decade the frames fit perfectly, and the lenses provide clarity for the ministry God has given us.
Just as we expect our physical eyes to change over the years, our spiritual eyes may need adjustment from time to time. For now, God has restored our sight and given us 2020 vision: To go and make disciples, (Matthew 28:19), proclaiming Him…teaching every person with all wisdom, so that we may present every person complete in Christ. (Colossians 1:28)
May the Lord bless you in this new decade and give you 2020 Vision for what He is calling you to this year. Don’t be surprised if it requires a new pair of glasses!