“And He said, ‘Go, and tell this people: “Keep on hearing, but do not understand; Keep on seeing, but do not perceive. Make the heart of this people dull, And their ears heavy, And shut their eyes; Lest they see with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And return and be healed.’” Isaiah 6:9-10
We normally try to take care of our eyes. We schedule annual eye exams to have our eyes checked for any impairment or disease. It is alarming and disheartening to lose our eyesight.
Some of the common types of faulty eyesight are: Refractive Errors: These are the most common type, including nearsightedness (myopia), farsightedness (hyperopia), astigmatism, and presbyopia. Age-Related Eye Diseases: These include age-related macular degeneration, cataracts, and glaucoma, which can affect central vision, cause blurred vision, and lead to vision loss. Medical Conditions: Diabetes, strokes, and other neurological conditions can also affect eyesight. Retinal Disorders: Conditions like retinal detachment and diabetic retinopathy can cause sudden vision loss or visual field distortions.
The causes of these eye problems can range from genetics, aging, and medical conditions to lifestyle choices. Things like smoking, excessive screen time, and UV exposure can damage our eyes. Do you ever remember someone telling you when you were a kid not to look directly at the sun? They warned you that you would damage your eyes. When we observe a solar eclipse we use some method of observation other than looking directly at the sun.
What about our spiritual eyesight? Someone may say, “What in the world is that?” If that is our response we may need some examination to help us to understand that there is such a thing. Both our spiritual eyesight and our spiritual hearing are tied closely to our hearts. And again we are not talking about the physical, pounding and pumping heart that distributes blood through our circulatory system. We are talking about our spiritual heart as well.
When the disciples came to Jesus and asked him why he spoke to the people in parables, Jesus said that the prophecy of Isaiah was being fulfilled in them: “Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, So that I should heal them” (Matt. 13:14-15).
A search for “faulty spiritual eyesight” gives this result: “Faulty spiritual eyesight, or spiritual blindness, refers to a state where someone struggles to discern God’s will, understand spiritual truths, or perceive the spiritual realm clearly. It’s not a literal blindness, but rather a difficulty in seeing or understanding spiritual things, potentially due to sin, worldly distractions, or a lack of spiritual discernment.” The Apostle Paul said that spiritual discernment consists in, “…not looking at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things that are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Cor. 5:18). A spiritual eye exam will help us to see things that are eternal. Open our eyes, Lord!
L Scott Gage