{"id":5850,"date":"2020-05-01T06:28:39","date_gmt":"2020-05-01T11:28:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/abidingfathers.org\/?p=5850"},"modified":"2020-05-01T06:28:39","modified_gmt":"2020-05-01T11:28:39","slug":"whose-lens-are-you-looking-through","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/af2.musiimes.space\/index.php\/2020\/05\/01\/whose-lens-are-you-looking-through\/","title":{"rendered":"Whose lens are you looking through?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whose lens are you looking through?<\/em><\/h3>\n

An interesting question, don\u2019t you think? Some are more powerful than others. When you go out on a clear night and look at the stars or moon with the naked eye, you see limited detail. It\u2019s beautiful and amazing, but there is more to see. You could grab your binoculars or a telescope and see more detail. Or you can go to an observatory and look through powerful telescopes with incredible magnifying lenses.<\/p>\n

When I was in my mid-70s, my eyesight started failing. Objects were slightly distorted, everything was foggy, night driving was dangerous, and colors had lost their sharpness and clarity. I received a new set of lenses through cataract surgery. Incredible difference, almost immediately. Everything became so bright with colors so brilliant. It\u2019s still working today. Just a slight incision, removal of my lens, and a replacement set.<\/p>\n

Making decisions<\/h3>\n

As I have been studying Psalms lately at a little more depth during this pandemic season, I thought about this subject relative to God\u2019s word.\u00a0\u201cThe unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Psa. 119.130 NIV). As we are going through life, at any age, we face countless things about which we need to make a decision, the majority of the time not knowing the outcome or consequences. Just like looking at the moon and stars, we are limited. And many times we make decisions based on our feelings, rather than facts. If we are looking at the same set of circumstances through the lens of God\u2019s word, then our decisions will be based on truth. Admit it, most of us are in the \u2018simple\u2019 category about most things.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour word is a lamp to my feet, and light to my path\u201d\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>(Psa. 119.105 ESV). When you walk in a forest during the night, you require a flashlight. While I was in Romania before the Iron Curtain fell, we had to walk at least a half-block behind our host taking us to a home to teach pastors. We always traveled at night and there were no street lights. You couldn\u2019t see your hand in front of your face. Our guide would go to a certain point and light a match or shine a light so we could see where we were to go. God\u2019s word is a spiritual light within darkness.\u00a0\u201cThe light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it\u201d (Jn. 1.5 ESV). John goes on to say that \u201cGod is light, and in him is no darkness at all\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0(I Jn. 1.5b ESV). God\u2019s truth can shed light on the darkness in each of us. Through confession and repentance, we then become his \u2018light to the world\u2019.<\/p>\n

The lens of God’s word<\/h3>\n

In John 14.6 Jesus declared\u00a0\u201cI am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father but by me\u201d<\/em><\/strong>. Jesus is God\u2019s Word, Logos. In John 1.1 we see that he was God, was with God, and created everything. So, he\u2019s the author of life, abundant and eternal. He said in John 10.10b,\u00a0\u201cI came that they may have life and have it abundantly\u201d.<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0In order for us to attain this daily, we must look through the lens of God\u2019s word and not rely on our limited earthly vision. His word is truth, power, and life and it gives us the light we need to make the right decisions that will glorify God.<\/p>\n

Use God\u2019s lens for perfect vision. Enjoy \u201cBe Thou my Vision\u201d.<\/p>\n