EYES TO SEE; EARS TO HEAR??

I have bad eyes. 
I mean the color blue is great. It's just that my eyes don't see well.
Thanks to the genes passed on by my dad.
I was in 7th grade when I first needed glasses. That and braces and the start of zits. Not such a pretty sight.

I vividly remember one time when I wished I could really see without my glasses. I was double para-sailing with my oldest daughter and I was the one who pulled the ropes whether we went left or right. But I couldn't see and Kristi would have to yell at me, "Go left Mom" or "Go right". Not to mention that I did not get to see the vastness of Lake Tahoe that we were para-sailing over.

One year I had had enough. I decided I wanted to wake up on my next birthday and be able to see the clock on the other side of the bed. So I made an appointment at the Laser surgery clinic. I was so excited and hopeful. 
To my utter dismay, I found out that the only part of my body that was too thin, was my cornea. I remember this doctor telling me that he thought he might still be able to work it out.
Ummm NO thank you. He told me that the risk of going blind was one of the side effects. So for years I have worn my glasses or contacts to see.
As you get older, your eyes change and your vision makes it a necessity sometime in your 40's that you need glasses for reading.
For me, it was not a big deal at all. My eye doctor just changed my contacts so that one was for distance and the other for reading.
And this year, I found out that having surgery for  thyroid cancer can also change your vision. Fortunately my daytime vision improved and my night time vision worsened.
Whatever, my eyes just don't see that well.

My ears on the other hand seem to be just fine. I can hear well-sometimes too well. And I still remember the time, also in 7th grade, when ice cubes numbed my ear, and my sister pierced my ears with a needle going through my ear into a wine bottle cork. Still have the same holes-all these years later.

Even with my eyesight being not the best, I have been extremely blessed to see some amazingly beautiful things around the world. 
But I also have seen some ugly things. Some in person, some on the TV. 
I remember watching with horror as the second plane went into the World Trade Center Tower. I remember seeing the Challenger explode. I remember the atrocities of Vietnam and watching on tv riots erupt in Los Angeles and Chicago. I have seen pictures of children starving all over the world that break my heart. Sometimes, I wish I could not have seen some things.

And I have heard some amazing and wonderful things with my ears.
From my husband whispering that he loves me for over 39 years.
For hearing the sounds of the waves breaking at shore.
For hearing my children's first cry, their first laugh, their first word. I will not forget that.
The melodies in songs, the beat of music can move me to laughter or tears, but can also make me sing like no one is listening.
Then I have heard some terrible things with my ears. 
Gossip, rumors, ugly words spoken and heard.
Things that make me shudder. Things I wish I had never said or never heard.

I'm sure you have had similar experiences with your eyes and ears as well.
This morning I was reading in the book of Isiah in the Old Testament and read the following:

I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see. My heart falters, fear makes me tremble. (Isiah21:3b)

Good to know I am not the only one to be baffled by what I have seen and heard.

Yesterday and probably today, much was written about World Vision in the news. World Vision is a Christian relief organization that has been around for over 50 years. Their chief aim and goal is to alleviate suffering and poverty in the world. Yesterday, they decided that they would hire Gay Christian married people. This has caused an outroar among Christians in America.
If you want, you can read Rich Stearns, the president of World Vision's words here
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2014/march-web-only/world-vision-why-hiring-gay-christians-same-sex-marriage.html

Whether or not you agree with gay marriage, whether or not you are a christian, everyone has an opinion on this subject. Today I read a great blog by a guy who just asked some questions.

http://michael-hidalgo.com/blog/2014/03/world-vision-some-questions-for-all-of-us/

But this reminded me of something I read also in Isiah this morning. This time it comes from chapter 11

"He will not judge by what He sees with his eyes, or decide by what He hears with his ears, but with righteousness, He will judge the needy, with justice, He will give decisions for the poor of the earth." Isiah 12:3-4.

So I have seen with my eyes the ugly words that have been spoken and have heard people's views on this and am basically disgusted with how we as followers of Christ have responded.
Today in the above verses, I again realized, in these often controversial topics, how I respond, what I say needs to come after I have gone to God about this. My response is based on what I hear God telling me, not others.
So whether we agree or disagree, may we all remember that the Creator of us all, is the only ONE to judge. His opinion is the ONLY one that counts. And He does not decide by what He sees, or by what He hears, but by what is TRUTH. And GOD is the author of all TRUTH.

AND THAT'S THE TRUTH.

I am currently reading thru the Gospel of John. There has been so much talk the past few weeks of who will get in heaven or go to hell (if there is either of those 2 places-and I certainly believe there is) from Rob Bell's newest book, LOVE WINS, that I decided I just wanted to hear JESUS' words. From Him, not from what someone might think he is saying.
Mind you, I have read LOVE WINS and I understand the controversy surrounding it. I don't believe Rob Bell is a heretic. But I'm not sure any of us can speak for JESUS. WE can conjecture what he says into what we believe to be the truth.
In actuality, The Scriptures say "WHO has known the mind of the LORD? Or WHO has been His Counselor? ROMANS 11:34.
From that specific verse, I believe we can guess-sometimes with much accuracy what Christ's words might mean, but ONLY HE knows what He really means. But this isn't about Rob Bell, or his book, or if he is a universalist or not.
This is just about what I've seen JESUS say-in His Words. And by John (the disciple who Jesus loves- now who wouldn't want to have that be their tagline?...missy, the disciple Jesus loves.) Well we can all have that tagline, because we all are loved by Jesus!!
This morning I read from John 8 "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free".
That truth is simply to me saying: the truth is Jesus loves us, loved us so much, He left his heavenly home, came to earth to identify with us as a human, but because He was also God, loved us so much that He Paid the price for our rebellion and sin, by taking our place as He died a horrendous death on the Cross. That truth set my life free. Free from trying to earn God's love and favor. Free from trying to be someone i am not. Free to accept God's love and His Forgiveness and to live by His Grace. To me, JESUS is the truth.

HE later goes on to say in John 10, that HE IS THE GOOD SHEPHERD. The Good Shepherd who laid down His life for the sheep...that's us. And that His Sheep know Him and know His Voice. So that we recognize Him and recognize truth when it hits us right between the eyes.
Ezekiel 34:16 says that this Good Shepherd "will seek for the strays and bring back the lost"
He is searching and seeking for ALL OF US. All of mankind. Because without Him, we are all straying and we are all lost. I love that He keeps on looking for us. EVERY single one of us. None of us are beyond His Reach. And He will keep on searching for us.
Then I got to John 11. This is the story about Jesus raising Lazurus from the dead.
We first here that Lazarus is sick from messengers sent by his 2 sisters, Mary and Martha.
Jesus loves this little family. But He stays 2 more days where He is and then decides to go to Bethany where they live.

The New Living Translation says in John 11:5-6 "So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, 6 he stayed where he was for the next two days."


WHAT?? He didn't go right away??? But He loves them.
IS that why He doesn't answer all my deep felt prayers immediately?? Because HE KNOWS what I don't? That He has greater plans than what I can see? That He knows what will bring GOD the glory?? I have to believe He does. That His purposes and answers are always to bring the Father glory.
The story then goes on to say that as Jesus shows up, He is met by Martha, and then Mary, who both said to Him : "LORD, if only you had been here, my brother would not have died."
Jesus answers Martha with
“I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die." (verses 25-26)

HE then goes to the tomb, asks people to roll away the tomb (even with Martha telling Him it will really really stink because Lazarus has been in there for 4 days already) and in a voice that is heard, probably with force, in a loud voice calls "Lazarus, come out!"

And out walks the dead man who is now alive.
CAN YOU ONLY IMAGINE?? Try and put yourself into this story. How does someone who has been dead four days come out of the tomb alive?
It must have been mind boggling to say the least. Crazy, unbelievable!!
But I am trying to identify. And I get it a little. I am a bit like Lazarus. Altho not physically dead, I was almost spiritually dead, when the Good News of Jesus rescued me...from a life of drinking and partying in college. From a kind of life I was spiraling towards. He rescued me and let me know that I could live...really live.
And that His Truth would set me free....over and over again, for the past 39+ years and for however long I have left on this earth. His Truth will free me- from my fears, my mistakes,my wanting to have control. His Truth will free me to be who HE envisions me to be.
And that's the Truth.