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A Prayer for Seeing with Gospel Eyes

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Sam. 16:7

Heavenly Father, many of us have worn prescription glasses or contact lenses for decades—seeking relief from various degrees of near-sightedness, far-sightedness and astigmatism. More recently, advances in laser surgery have brought vision health to tens of thousands. Yet there’s one ophthalmological corrective than can only take place as the gospel does its work on the eyes of our hearts.

As long as we primarily focus on the “outward appearance” of people, things and situations—even if we have the eyesight of an eagle or 20/10 vision, we’re still not seeing as you intend. There’s a way of seeing that your mercy and grace alone can bring. Please Father, open the eyes of our hearts. Do surgery, bring healing, grant liberty. Give us unobstructed 3D vision of Jesus. For by seeing Jesus more clearly, we will see everything else from his perspective.

Help us to see people with gospel eyes. Father, free me from looking at people with the aberrations of a fallen heart. Open my eyes to their dignity and beauty. When I only see and focus the things in people that irritate or inconvenience me, forgive me… change me. Let me see and celebrate your image in every woman and man. Don’t let me view people pragmatically—only in terms of how they might harm or help me; reject me or adore me; exclude me or include me. Expand my vision beyond my story to your larger story of redemption and restoration. Help me to see what you see in my spouse, my children, my friends, total strangers… even my enemies.

Help us to see creation with gospel eyes. Father, don’t let me look at the ocean, mountains, stars, sunrises and sunsets, flora and fauna, or even weather patterns just in terms of me and my plans. Let me see your hand and heart everywhere. Show me more of your glory in the things you have made. Enable me to live more as a worshipful steward of your creation and less as a selfish consumer of your creation.

Help us to see pain and suffering with gospel eyes. Father, sometimes seeing all the crucibles, crises, and cruel stories of life makes me want to run, hide, fix or deny. I can put on the dark glasses of selfishness and pretend like I don’t see. Or I can put on the rosy-tinted glasses of spin and spiritualizing, to keep my heart from feeling more pain. Father, forgive me, heal me. Help me to see with the eyes of Jesus when overwhelming need and hard stories are staring me down. In every situation, keep showing me more and more of Jesus. So very Amen I pray in his loving and powerful name.

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