✝ Daily Encouragement (6/29/23) "Open My Eyes That I May See"
Published: Thu, 06/29/23
A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.
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Thursday, June 29, 2023
The Amish gather in homes for their church
services and then stay for a meal and afternoon fellowship. Sunday afternoon we passed these plain men in the Strasburg area gathered under a large shade tree.
(Click on photo to enlarge) "Open My Eyes That
I May See"
Message summary:
There's so much we don't see and there's so much we don't understand; some things make no sense to us at all. Indeed the tunnel may be narrow, dark, long, and filled with hazards as we navigate our way through life. Yet with the help of the Holy Spirit we can declare "But I
see!"
Listen to our message on your audio player.
"For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known" (1 Corinthians 13:12). I once was lost but now am
found,
Was blind, but now I see. On Sunday I visited with one of our pew neighbors, Harry Wertsch, a retired optometrist. Have you considered what the optometrist's favorite hymn might be? Well, it just might be "Open My Eyes That I May See"!
After learning about his life career I told him there are a lot of themes in
the Bible dealing with eyes and sight.
But today let us consider a portion from the "Love Chapter" (1 Corinthians 13).
"For now we see through a glass darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am
known" (1 Corinthians 13:12).
"For now we see through a glass darkly". Each of us has matters in life that could be described as seeing through a glass darkly. In these gloomy experiences we can choose to despair or place our faith in God, readily admitting that we only see through a glass darkly. That's why we walk by faith and not by sight. Our faith is founded solidly upon the unchanging, ever dependable Word of God that is our life's roadmap. Using an illustration more contemporary we rely on our GPS, when the road ahead is dark and foggy. Regardless of our blurry view of what lies ahead we should always be able to see and view the Word of God as our reliable and unfailing GPS! "But then face to face". No more blurry or distant view! "Now I know in part". That's so true. We know only a part, actually a very very small part. But we know! We are blessed and many of us have memorized portions of Scripture with the phrase, "I know" or "we know" such as Romans 8:28 or 2 Timothy 1:12. This "in part" especially describes the state of our present knowledge of divine things, which is imperfect and incomplete. But the time will come when our vision will be unimpaired, the veil will be lifted and the obscure made crystal clear. "But then shall I know even as also I am known". C.H. Spurgeon makes an interesting assertion that we couldn't handle any greater knowledge on this side of eternity.
"If we knew more of our own sinfulness,
we might be driven to despair; if we knew more of God's glory, we might die of terror; if we had more understanding, unless we had equivalent capacity to employ it, we might be filled with conceit and tormented with ambition. But up there we shall have our minds and our systems strengthened to receive more, without the damage that would come to us here from overleaping the boundaries of order, supremely appointed and divinely
regulated."
There's so much we don't see and there's so much we don't understand; some things make no sense to us at all. Indeed the tunnel may be narrow, dark, long, and filled with hazards as we navigate our way through life. But one day we will see and fully know that which God has in store for us!
Open my eyes that I may see
glimpses of truth Thou hast for me. Place in my hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp and set me free. Silently now I wait for Thee, ready, my God, Thy will to see. Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
Be encouraged today, (
Hebrews
3:13)
Stephen & Brooksyne
Weber
Daily
prayer: Father, Your Word admonishes us to "Contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to the saints." There are many obstacles that will lead us astray as we contend for the faith if our eyes become fixed on the obstacles. Instead we want to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Perfecter of our faith, who set His eyes on the throne of God, enabling Him to endure the cross, its shame and agony. Fix our eyes on the goal of heaven where all will finally be made perfectly
clear when we see Jesus face to face. In the meantime sustain us by Your mercy, grow our faith, and help us to take as many as possible with us to our eternal home in heaven. In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.
Jude 3, Hebrews
12:2
* For a study of this see here.
Gettysburg is only about 50 miles west of us and we periodically visit the
famous battlefield from the Civil War. For several generations following the battle it was treated as a very sacred place but as generations are further removed it has developed a recreational vibe, especially since it's in such a beautiful area of our country. However the national battlefield still has over one million annual visitors.
As we have walked through Gettysburg National Cemetery, the site where Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg address, we observe the many gravesites, many marked only by a number. But we especially took note of one that included a simple expression of faith on the tombstone of a chaplain who served in the war: "Now we see through a glass darkly - but we see!" Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources
"Open My Eyes That I May See"
Click to listen on YouTube
Fountainview
Academy
Brooksyne's Note:
I have been reading Robert Morgan's
"A Song in my Heart" (365 devotions from our best loved hymns) since January 1st. Each date coordinates with the author's birth, death or the day a hymn was published, etc. I read the following devotional last week:
"On
June 21, 1897
Clara Scott was
returning home after a funeral service when a strap broke on her carriage. The horse bolted and the buggy careened down the street with accelerating speed. Clara was thrown from the carriage and killed [at 55 years of age], but she left behind this wonderful hymn. It's an interesting lesson of the mysterious ways of the Lord. None of us knows what may befall us from hour to hour. The Lord alone knows the length of our days. As long as He keeps us on earth, we need to have open eyes to study
His Word, open ears to hear His voice, and open mouths to share His gospel. Let's consider this a hymn of rededication and aspiration to serve the Lord faithfully until He calls us home."
"Open The Eyes Of My Heart"
Click to listen on
YouTube Michael W.
Smith
Sunday afternoon the Amish youth gather with their youth groups. Amish teens can join a group when they turn 16 and it's something they really
look forward to. We passed these youth heading to their group with the Old Windmill Farm in the distant background.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
We ate dinner last Sunday afternoon at Casey Jones Restaurant
and it
was filled to overflowing capacity due to Thomas the Tank Engine rolling down the Strasburg Railroad track.
(Click on photo to enlarge)
Finally
today:
Here's a humorous list of hymn titles with double meanings such as the Optometrist's Hymn.........Open My Eyes That I Might
See.
The Dentist's Hymn.............Crown Him With Many
Crowns
The Weatherman's Hymn..........There Shall Be Showers of Blessing The Contractor's Hymn..........The Church's One Foundation The Tailor's Hymn..............Holy, Holy, Holy The Golfer's Hymn..............There is A Green Hill Far Away The Politician's Hymn..........Standing on the Promises The Optometrist's Hymn.........Open My Eyes That I Might See The IRS Agent's Hymn...........I Surrender All The Gossip's Hymn..............Pass It On The Electrician's Hymn.........Send the Light The Shopper's Hymn.............Sweet By and By The Realtor's Hymn.........I've Got A Mansion Just Over the Hilltop The Pilot's Hymn...............I'll Fly Away The Paramedic's Hymn...........Revive Us Again The Judge's Hymn...............Almost Persuaded The Psychiatrist's Hymn........Just a Little Talk With Jesus The Architect's Hymn...........How Firm A Foundation The Credit Card Telemarketer's Hymn.....A Charge To Keep I Have The Zookeeper's Hymn...........All Creatures of Our God & King The Postal Worker's Hymn.......So Send I Yo The Waiter's Hymn..............Fill My Cup, Lord The Gardener's Hymn............Lo, How A Rose E'er Blooming The Lifeguard's Hymn...........Rescue the Perishing The Criminal's Hymn............Search Me, O God The Baker's Hymn...............When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder The Shoe Repairer's Hymn.......It Is Well With My Soul The Travel Agent's Hymn........Anywhere With Jesus The Geologist's Hymn...........Rock of Ages The Hematologist's Hymn........Are You Washed in the Blood? The Mens' Wear Clerk's Hymn....Blest Be the Tie The Umpire's Hymn..............I Need No Other Argument The Librarian's Hymn...........Whispering Hope Send a message to Stephen & Brooksyne
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Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
717-823-0592
Daily Encouragement Net
https://www.dailyencouragement.net
Mail service provider is aweber.com
495 Kraybill Church Rd
Mount Joy PA 17552
USA
Unsubscribe | Change Subscriber Options