I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you. Eph. 1:18 NIV
Merciful Father, if a sheriff knocked at our door with a subpoena, we’d be a bit unnerved. But today, like every day, the gospel is knocking at our door to subpoena us to hope. Nothing is more awesome and freeing.
Thanks for making hope our calling. You haven’t just extended a general notification or given us a polite invitation. We’re called to hope just as surely as you called us to a saving knowledge of Jesus. We wouldn’t think of ignoring a summons from the sheriff, must less so a magisterial and mercy-full summons from you.
This March Monday, we gladly make ourselves a target of Paul’s petition. Open the eyes of our hearts right now, Father. Wipe the morning crud from our eyes. The things we need to see most clearly get a bit blurry. Help us see Jesus lucidly today, and every good thing we have in him.
We’d love to see more of heaven, and all the amazing stuff you’re got planned for us in the new heaven and new earth. But just show us more of Jesus as our perfect righteousness and constant intercessor; Lord of all sorrows, joys, and everything.
Free us from fixing our gaze on circumstances and people. We tend to give them way too much power over our hearts. Paul wrote these words of encouragement from a Roman imprisonment, not from a Mediterranean condo. What do we have to complain about? We have real needs, but you give us an even greater provision through the riches of the gospel.
Father bring 20/20 seeing where there’s been spiritual astigmatism and myopia of late. Throw the curtains all the way open. Lift all the clouds. Do more “laser surgery” on the eyes of our hearts, if need be. Just show us more of Jesus, that’s all we really need. So very Amen we pray, in Jesus’ beautiful and bountiful name.