July 29-30 – Blind spots

“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

In my car I have mirrors that eliminate blind spots around the vehicle and help reduce the risk of accidents from overtaking cars. This always brings to mind a friend of university days – we shared a room with her guide dog. In one eye Sue had a condition which affected her peripheral vision – side, top, and bottom. The other eye had no vision at all. In the 'useful' eye Sue was reliant upon an ever decreasing pinspot of sight which she used to advantage – though she lost even that during our time together. Sue had blind spots.

Do you have any blind spots? I know I do-loads! Most of the time we don't notice them, if we did, they wouldn't be blind would they? We know in our heart we must have blind spots because we notice them in other people and deep down we figure other people must notice them in us. Then occasionally one pops out of hiding, exposed, for all to see.

We can be found out in two ways. We can usually rely on a well-meaning person who feels it's their duty, and a kindness, to inform us for our own good. Or maybe they just choose to 'give it to us' in the heat of an argument. We react by denial, anger, humiliation, defensiveness, and hurt. Maybe what they have noticed is actually there but we don't feel in any condition to accept it.

Thank God for God. His way is entirely different. He exposes blind spots when he is ready to start working on them....kindly, and with patience, while others are thinking; 'why doesn't God zap her for that?' If He considers that we need more time, God may allow a character issue to sit in our lives for many years Yet we go along oblivious -- not seeing it at all. God knows that if we are serious about walking with Him, that awareness will dawn – the light will come on – we are ready, and God knows it, so we don't feel humiliated or hurt. Instead, we are affirmed because He placed His trust in us.

Perhaps the blindspots that concern me most are, not spending more time in prayer and God's Word. We know these are the most important things in our lives, now, for the future – neglect these and we risk losing eternity. But day after day, week after week, the blindspots of 'other things' come crowding in....considered priorities of home, work, children, husbands, wives – even church work, so much to do and so little time to do it in. Blocked out is the view of peace, refreshment, restoration and strength that comes from spending time with the Lord.

In John 12:40 Jesus quotes, nearly word for word, Isaiah’s prophecy about the hardening of the hearts of those who would refuse to believe in Him (Isaiah 6:10). It’s not that God has hardened their hearts or that God has blinded their eyes, but as the author of Hebrews wrote “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion” (Heb 3:12) so they are actually hardening their own hearts by refusing to hear the Spirit’s voice as in the Holy Spirit Who says, “Today, if you hear his voice” (Heb 3:7). This warning about not hearing His voice, the voice of the Holy Spirit, is found throughout Scripture and repeated many times as it is again in Hebrews 4:7 where it says “God again set a certain day, calling it “Today.” This he did when a long time later he spoke through David, as in the passage already quoted: “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.”

The point is, we must hear His voice today; we must listen to the Spirit’s voice to put our faith in Christ. The more we suppress His voice by putting prayer and study of His Word low on our list of 'to-do's', the harder our hearts become and we reach a point when we won't hear His voice anymore.

Your heart hardens and your eyes become blinded to the glorious gospel in Jesus Christ.

It's wise to turn a blind eye to other people's blind spots. It's also wise to welcome God's spotlight on our own. No matter how blind any of us are, Gods vision is crystal clear.

“Open the Eyes of my Heart” - LIVE is my music choice today, sung by a 10year old blind, autistic child. Click on the picture to listen.