SENSING THE SAVIOR

Habakkuk 1:1-3:19; Revelation 9:1-21; Psalm 137:1-9; Proverbs 30:10

“Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted. The Lord replied ‘Look around at the nations; look and be amazed! For I am doing something in your own day, something you wouldn’t believe even if someone told you about it.’”

“But the people who did not die in these plagues still refused to repent of their evil deeds and turn to God. They continued to worship demons and idols made of gold, silver, bronze, stone, and wood—idols that can neither see nor hear nor walk! And they did not repent of their murders or their witchcraft or their sexual immorality or their thefts.”

“But how can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a pagan land?”

“Never slander a worker to the employer, or the person will curse you, and you will pay for it.”

Scripture promises that God is not just standing by watching His Creation implode upon itself. He is actively working out His Plan for ultimate glory and the conquest of evil, once and for all. Scripture also predicts our reaction: we don’t believe that particular piece of Good News. We allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by the evil and wantonness of our present age, at least to some extent because we forget the Almighty is not subject to the same practical and physical limitations (including lack of eternal and omniscient vision) that we experience. Thus, because we do not see with Christ’s eyes, we are too willing and too quick to give up on our Lord. Our impatience attacks our hope and, long term, perhaps even our faith. Personal vision can actually blind us to reality. When we focus too narrowly or on the wrong things, it is no wonder we lose sight of the big picture.

In working with special needs individuals, I am always fascinated by the perceptiveness of those who have lost their sight, especially those who once knew what it was to see. Those cherished memories give them a powerful tool: an enhanced imagination grounded in reality but also compounded by a much greater sensitivity overall. They know things can be experienced in different ways on different levels. They actively use, rather than disregard, what we may think of as less important senses. The nuances and richness of noises, smells and, most importantly, touch, are never lost on these folks. Things they accurately discern from a tone of voice slip right by the sighted. They never take a sense for granted, either; they have a far deeper gratitude for the abilities they do possess having lost one that makes life so much easier from a physical standpoint.

I wonder if Jesus does not on occasion blind us to His workings just as one way to train us to look for Him with something other than our eyes. What would we come to know if we truly sought out signs of our Creator’s ongoing love for His Creation by using all of our senses? There is little doubt, for example, that the Holy Spirit inside would guide us to a more complete knowledge of Him. Our ears might be better attuned to the Psalms nature writes on a daily basis, both wonderful and terrifying. We might (pun intended) even be more willing to stop and smell the roses, and be more appreciative of the results. Yes, all those things are possible, even probable, but it is no good just to sit idly by and wonder about them. It is time to get more intentional about using all our senses to their fullest potential.

There will always be those who must worship idols because they are incapable of worshipping anything they cannot touch and control. Such individuals are seldom impressed by the supernatural; they pass it off as chance or a dream, for example, and they will never repent of their addiction to the tangible. But true followers of Christ know better. They are wise enough to recognize there is much more to this life than meets the physical eye. The Lord is still busy creating, even as He is busy saving. There is a beautiful mosaic needlepoint in the making. We can only see the relatively unattractive backside from where we stand. Thank goodness we can reach out to touch the threads, for they are the “little hints” in this life that there is a glorious purpose and plan. One day, the Father is going to flip the fabric over to reveal the finished Creation in all its glory. Oh, what a revelation that will be! Beauty beyond comprehension! But we don’t have to be all that surprised. After all, the heavens are singing the glory of the Creator. Stop and look, but don’t forget to touch and listen as well. You may be surprised how encouraging it can be!