Written by Jeana Poole, volunteer with Iron Rose Sister Ministries in Colorado
“I can see really good because of my far away eyes,” my four-year-old told me.
“Your what?” I asked.
“My far away eyes. It means I can see through things to spot something I need to see.”
‘Far away eyes’ have become a sort of running joke in our family, but something about that phrase has always struck me as deeply theological. To see through things to spot something we need to see. Isn’t that what we’re called to do as Christians?
We’re told in 2 Corinthians 4:18 that “we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (ESV). It’s all too easy to focus on the things we can see. They’re right in front of us!! But we are told to do the harder thing, to look at the unseen things.
Take the story of Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:8-17 as an example. Syria (Aram) is getting ready to go to war with Israel, but Elisha keeps warning the Israelite king about which way to go so that the Syrians (Arameans) can’t attack. The Syrian king is troubled by this and decides he needs to capture Elisha, so he sends horses, chariots, and a great army to surround the city where Elisha is staying. Elisha’s servant wakes up, sees this great multitude and, to put it mildly, freaks out. Elisha tells him,
“Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” Then Elisha prayed and said, “O LORD, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:16-17, ESV)
The servant wasn’t using his far away eyes. He was so focused on what was in front of him, that he couldn’t see what God was doing around him. I wonder how many of us are like the servant, too focused on whatever the enemy is doing in front of us and forget to open our eyes to what God is doing around us.
As we close out 2021, I challenge us to use our ‘far away eyes’ going into 2022. Let us focus our vision on the unseen things. Let us ask our Father to open our eyes to what is around us, to see through whatever obstacles are in our way.
Where will your far away eyes take you in 2022?