Now You See It; Now You Don’t

Sight, smell, touch, hearing, and taste.  Those are the five senses we identify which provide sensory input for our life experiences.  Which is most important to you?  We use them all, but which one would you most fear losing?  I can tell you with some certainty that most people would say SIGHT.  The eye is an amazing apologist for our creation by God rather than through some random combination of chemicals.  Though we take it for granted, opening your eyes and being able to see the world around you is a stunningly complex function, requiring chemistry, physics, anatomy, and psychology to dance in unison. 

What happens when any portion of this complicated system fails to function properly?  Life changes.  But it needn’t end.  Here’s an example of someone who suffered significant vision loss, but didn’t let it get him down:

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. ⁸ Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. ⁹ And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.   2 Corinthians 12:7-9

Don’t you hate it when someone just pulls something out of the Bible and tries to apply it when it may not fit?  But let me make the case – you can look up all these verses if you wish.

It appears to me, and I base this opinion on a good understanding of the facts, that the apostle, Paul, suffered from a significant visual impairment – perhaps macular degeneration, or end-stage glaucoma, or advanced cataracts (they didn’t remove them in those days).  His vision was so poor that he used others to write out the text of his letters (Romans 16:22); occasionally he signed them at the end as a formality (1 Corinthians 16:21); and when he did write anything himself, he even mentioned that he was using BIG letters (Galatians 6:11), not for their benefit, but for his!

Add to that his statement that the Galatians would have “torn out your eyes and given them to me” (Galatians 4:15); he insulted the High Priest because he couldn’t tell who he was (Acts 23:3-5); and he mistook a snake for a piece of wood (Acts 28:1-3) and the case is closed.  Paul just couldn’t see near the end of his life.  He didn’t like it, but God didn’t heal him.  And Paul was OK with that, because his deficiency was overcome by God’s power and grace.  Paul did more in his life without being able to see than most of us do with all our faculties.

What have you lost that you didn’t think you could do without?  One of the other senses or do you share the same fate as Paul?  Perhaps you’ve lost some motor function and don’t get around as well as you used to?  Maybe you’ve lost a family member you never thought you could live without, and now you feel paralyzed?  Or have you just lost hope because life hasn’t worked out as you expected?  The remedy for each infirmity is the same for you as it was for Paul.  God says, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”  Weakness.  I can certainly identify with that, regardless of the cause.

No matter who you are, and no matter what you face, God’s power in you can do amazing things.  Just ask Paul.  By the way, have you had your eyes checked lately?

Jacob