OPEN THE EYES OF MY HEART (PART II)

November 17th, 2022

SCRIPTURE: "Then Samson called to the Lord and said, 'O Lord, God, please remember me, and please strengthen me just this time, O God, that I may at once be avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.'"
Judges 16:28

He squandered the gifting upon him, embarrassed his people, Israel, and the office of judge in the eyes of the enemy, undermined the hope and the legacy given him, made small the victories God gave him in his history, and went unrepentant about it all-- unevenly accepting of his bodily strength, to the exclusion of humility. With that, the Lord used the Philistines to deprive him of that which he took for granted, which he had abused---his natural sight.

As the metaphor goes, he was the bull in the China shop, until God said enough--allowing the dangling of the carrot before him named Delilah. And true to the example of Eve in the garden, he sized her up with the natural eye and found her to be 'good,’ denying the place for wisdom, eyes wide shut.

But deep in abject humiliation, he found wisdom, the wisdom to know from whence cometh his help, and the humility to call on the Lord, the one call absent throughout much of his life, substantiated by one word which he had never used before, 'Please.’
"...Please remember me, and please strengthen me just this time, O God..." Judges 16:28
'Please' put forth rightly, can be powerful.

And rather than asking for rescue, for restored eyes, or for long life, immediate comfort, or even a final moment with Delilah, he condescended to the acceptance of having the eyes of his heart awakened-- to open for the things of the Spirit. And God obliged.

Sometimes our present distress is but a part of the pathway to our eternal delight. God may permit our straying [and its consequences] for a season, but that same sovereignty that gives us the freedom to choose badly often will have patience out of mercy, to allow our return to choose well.

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18
Lord, open the eyes of our heart, that we may see You.
And let us see at the foot of the cross.

Prayer: Dear Lord, let this 'Amen' be true, that all of me desire all of You, more than anything. Open the eyes of this heart, my God and my Savior, I pray, in the precious name of Jesus.
Submitted by Bro. Brockington