John the Baptist was an amazing man, wasn’t he?
He was humble: (“He (Jesus) must increase, but I must decrease.”)
He understood spiritual principles. (“A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven.”)
He could see behind the spiritual divide. (“And the next day he (John) saw Jesus coming to him, and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”)
He is one of the few people that actually saw the Holy Spirit. (“I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”)
In fact, Jesus said John was the greatest among men!
Yet, when the dark days of prison came upon John, he sent some of his friends to ask Jesus, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?”
Dank prison life dimmed the brilliance of John’s previous insight.
Doesn’t this stir a chord within you?
Although dark times can lead us to greater spiritual vision, being in the dark doesn’t mean instantaneous enlightenment, does it?
Just as it takes a while for your physical eyes to adjust when you enter a dark place, it will take some time for your spiritual eyes to adjust in the face of crisis.
Entering into a dark time of life may produce temporary blindness, but as You continue to faithe Him, He enacts Your deeper “night” vision.
Wait on Him, even in the dark.
Father,
I really appreicate You giving me hints in my physical life that help me understand the spiritual. Take this whole idea of our eyes adjusting to the darkness. What a great encouragement to understand that it’s perfectly normal to lose perspective in difficult situations.
I don’t, however, want to lose faith – just because situations overwhelm me. Yet, You and I both know that this is often just what happens.
Don’t forget that You are the One in charge of my spiritual life. That means that You have to continue to supply my faith, even in the darkest of days.
You are deep within me, nearer to me than I am to myself. You continually labor invisibly to bring about that which best pleases You. May my desires change so that what pleases You pleases me also.
When I catch a glimpse of the invisible, I find that You are everywhere even in the depths of my soul. Thank You for implanting me with Your living Love, which prays even as I breathe. Thank You that prayer doesn’t depend totally on my mind, but upon You, the One hidden within.
Make me like John the Baptist. Give me eyes to see past the physical and into Your glorious Light. I love you. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
.