Are You Seeing Clearly?
Here is psalm 13:
13 How long, O Lord? Will You forget me forever? How long will You hide Your face from me? 2 How long shall I take counsel in my soul,
Having sorrow in my heart daily? How long will my enemy be exalted over me? 3 Consider and hear me, O Lord my God; Enlighten my eyes,Lest I sleep the sleep of death; 4 Lest my enemy say, “I have prevailed against him”; Lest those who trouble me rejoice when I am moved. 5 But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. 6 I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.
In this psalm David is crying out to God. David feels like he has been forgotten. He feels like God has hidden His face from David. He feels alone (take counsel from my soul). He believes that his enemies are exalted over him. I think we’ve all been there from time to time have we not? In verse 3 David says something very interesting. He says, “Enlighten my eyes…”. (more on this later). Then in verses 5-6 David’s attitude changes. His focus changes to the fact that his heart is now rejoicing in God. David has trusted in God’s mercy. David says that he will sing to the Lord because God has dealt bountifully with him. What has changed? It doesn’t appear that David’s situation or circumstances have changed…there hasn’t been time for that. The only request David makes is for God to “enlighten his eyes”.
Can that be our prayer in times of suffering and doubt? Though God might not change the circumstances, perhaps He will allow us to have our eyes opened somewhat to what He is doing. Or, perhaps He is already showing us; but we just refuse to see. Whatever the situation, are your eyes open to what God is doing? The line to a popular chorus goes like this, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus….Look full in His wonderful face…And the things of earth will grow strangely dim…in the light of His glory and grace.”
“Father, enlighten our eyes to see your mercy; your salvation; even in the midst of incredible suffering or uncertainty. May this world “fade away” when compared to who you are and what you are doing. Amen”