““He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”” (John 12:40, ESV)
Two people who were famous in the music industry went to their favorite restaurant in Los Angeles in the 1970’s. The two men were band members of the group, The Eagles. The name of the place was Dan Tana’s. Dan Tana’s was known as a place full of beautiful women. The problem was that many of these women were there to escape their situation. Some were even there to cheat on spouses. As the two men watched, a gorgeous woman walked up to an older man who was long past his prime. She sat down, smiled, and flirted. One band member, Glenn Frey, told the other band member, Don Henley; “She can’t even hide those lyin’ eyes.” A short time later, Frey wrote the words to a song, “Lyin’ Eyes”. These are part of the lyrics:
You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
("Glenn Frey: 20 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone. January 19, 2016.)
The song was about how a woman manipulates a man to have an affair. She “lies with her eyes”. She makes a man believe they are in love, when she is only interested in his money or power or body. The woman at that restaurant used her wiles to attract a man’s eyes. The man sees what he wants to see; a woman who likes him. The man is blind to the woman trying to steal his heart and money. The woman knows that if you can beguile a man’s eyes, he will follow you anywhere.
Have you figured out yet that your eyes can play tricks on you? Not only can your eyes lie to others, they can lie to you. They can blind you to the truth. Your eyes may be able to pick out colors, the shape of a person’s face, the beauty of a woman’s features, or the wince of a man in pain. However, your eyes cannot see past the physical, the temporal. Your eyes cannot see the soul. Your eyes cannot penetrate the spiritual world. That’s where faith comes in. Faith can enhance what the eyes see. Faith can interpret the interaction between what the eyes see and what God shows.
In the inspirational book, Grace for the Moment, the authors quote Max Lucado. Lucado wrote that:
“Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see.
Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel
Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow
Eyes see giants. Faith sees Canaan.
Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior.
Your eyes see your guilt. Your faith sees his blood.
Your eyes look in the mirror and see a sinner, a failure, a promise-breaker. But by faith you look in the mirror and see a robed prodigal bearing the ring of grace on your finger and the kiss of your Father on your face.” (p. 220)
Have there been times that your eyes have deceived you? Did your eyes cause you to fall into temptation or lure you away from a perfect plan? Were you deceived while trusting in your eyes to lead you where God did not want you to go?
Far into the twelfth chapter of John, Jesus contemplated on the sin of many Jews who could not see God’s truth. Jesus had performed miracles, preached of repentance, and openly shared the gospel. Some Jews, especially Jewish leaders, rejected Jesus’ message. Jesus knew that Satan had deceived Adam and Eve and blinded many others throughout history. Jesus also knew that people would see what they wanted to see, even if it wasn’t the truth. When faced with the truth, some people could not get past their own blindness. In a moment of exasperation, Jesus quoted Isaiah: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”” (John 12:40, ESV)
The New Testament chapter of Hebrews 11 begins with these famous words: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith takes into account what is “seen” but goes way past simple eyesight. Faith interprets what the eye sees. Have you ever noticed how two people can witness the same crime yet report different viewpoints? They saw the same event with their eyes but interpreted what they saw very differently. Well, people who have faith do not see with simple 20/20 vision. Their faith interprets what they see. The events are interpreted through eyes of faith. They use “spiritual vision” to understand more of what is going on around them. Faith keeps them from being spiritually blind and misinterpreting what the eyes see alone.
Jesus was constantly stymied by people who couldn’t see what God was doing. They were so wrapped up in worldly causes and religious pomp that they were blind to God’s action. I want you to see more! I want you to perceive what is really going on around you. I don’t want you to be blinded by your “lyin’ eyes”. I want you to see what God sees and understand more fully. I want you to find healing. Jesus needs you to use both your eyes and your faithful vision to get the full picture. How else will you be aware of all that is going on in your life?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord God! Help me to see beyond the shallowness of the worldview. Help me to understand Your will. Open my eyes to see what you see and understand Your truth. Let me not be limited by my lyin’ eyes. Let me not be blinded by ambition or pride or manipulation.
Forgive me, dear Lord, when I cannot see past my mistakes. Shake up my world when I stubbornly hold on to the lies I tell myself. Discipline me when I refuse to obey Your word in my sinful attempt to evade what is right. Lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake!
In the name of Jesus Christ, I have made promises. I have acknowledged Your place in this world. I have endeavored to worship faithfully, speak honestly, act with reverence, and be a faithful servant. All the while, I know that I cannot attain righteousness without Your guidance. I am helpless at avoiding temptation. I need Your Holy Spirit to advise me. I need Your Word to be a “lamp unto my feet and a light for my path”.
Humbly, I come before Your throne in Heaven this day. I bow down before You, my Lord! I offer my allegiance. I welcome Your grace. Amen.
You can't hide your lyin' eyes
And your smile is a thin disguise
I thought by now you'd realize
There ain't no way to hide your lyin' eyes
("Glenn Frey: 20 Essential Songs". Rolling Stone. January 19, 2016.)
The song was about how a woman manipulates a man to have an affair. She “lies with her eyes”. She makes a man believe they are in love, when she is only interested in his money or power or body. The woman at that restaurant used her wiles to attract a man’s eyes. The man sees what he wants to see; a woman who likes him. The man is blind to the woman trying to steal his heart and money. The woman knows that if you can beguile a man’s eyes, he will follow you anywhere.
Have you figured out yet that your eyes can play tricks on you? Not only can your eyes lie to others, they can lie to you. They can blind you to the truth. Your eyes may be able to pick out colors, the shape of a person’s face, the beauty of a woman’s features, or the wince of a man in pain. However, your eyes cannot see past the physical, the temporal. Your eyes cannot see the soul. Your eyes cannot penetrate the spiritual world. That’s where faith comes in. Faith can enhance what the eyes see. Faith can interpret the interaction between what the eyes see and what God shows.
In the inspirational book, Grace for the Moment, the authors quote Max Lucado. Lucado wrote that:
“Faith is trusting what the eye can’t see.
Eyes see the prowling lion. Faith sees Daniel’s angel
Eyes see storms. Faith sees Noah’s rainbow
Eyes see giants. Faith sees Canaan.
Your eyes see your faults. Your faith sees your Savior.
Your eyes see your guilt. Your faith sees his blood.
Your eyes look in the mirror and see a sinner, a failure, a promise-breaker. But by faith you look in the mirror and see a robed prodigal bearing the ring of grace on your finger and the kiss of your Father on your face.” (p. 220)
Have there been times that your eyes have deceived you? Did your eyes cause you to fall into temptation or lure you away from a perfect plan? Were you deceived while trusting in your eyes to lead you where God did not want you to go?
Far into the twelfth chapter of John, Jesus contemplated on the sin of many Jews who could not see God’s truth. Jesus had performed miracles, preached of repentance, and openly shared the gospel. Some Jews, especially Jewish leaders, rejected Jesus’ message. Jesus knew that Satan had deceived Adam and Eve and blinded many others throughout history. Jesus also knew that people would see what they wanted to see, even if it wasn’t the truth. When faced with the truth, some people could not get past their own blindness. In a moment of exasperation, Jesus quoted Isaiah: “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”” (John 12:40, ESV)
The New Testament chapter of Hebrews 11 begins with these famous words: “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Faith takes into account what is “seen” but goes way past simple eyesight. Faith interprets what the eye sees. Have you ever noticed how two people can witness the same crime yet report different viewpoints? They saw the same event with their eyes but interpreted what they saw very differently. Well, people who have faith do not see with simple 20/20 vision. Their faith interprets what they see. The events are interpreted through eyes of faith. They use “spiritual vision” to understand more of what is going on around them. Faith keeps them from being spiritually blind and misinterpreting what the eyes see alone.
Jesus was constantly stymied by people who couldn’t see what God was doing. They were so wrapped up in worldly causes and religious pomp that they were blind to God’s action. I want you to see more! I want you to perceive what is really going on around you. I don’t want you to be blinded by your “lyin’ eyes”. I want you to see what God sees and understand more fully. I want you to find healing. Jesus needs you to use both your eyes and your faithful vision to get the full picture. How else will you be aware of all that is going on in your life?
A PRAYER FOR TODAY
Lord God! Help me to see beyond the shallowness of the worldview. Help me to understand Your will. Open my eyes to see what you see and understand Your truth. Let me not be limited by my lyin’ eyes. Let me not be blinded by ambition or pride or manipulation.
Forgive me, dear Lord, when I cannot see past my mistakes. Shake up my world when I stubbornly hold on to the lies I tell myself. Discipline me when I refuse to obey Your word in my sinful attempt to evade what is right. Lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake!
In the name of Jesus Christ, I have made promises. I have acknowledged Your place in this world. I have endeavored to worship faithfully, speak honestly, act with reverence, and be a faithful servant. All the while, I know that I cannot attain righteousness without Your guidance. I am helpless at avoiding temptation. I need Your Holy Spirit to advise me. I need Your Word to be a “lamp unto my feet and a light for my path”.
Humbly, I come before Your throne in Heaven this day. I bow down before You, my Lord! I offer my allegiance. I welcome Your grace. Amen.