Seeing but not seeing..

They say familiarity breeds contempt. We see what we often expect to see rather than what is actually there especially in familiar environments. My husband will often say to me “noticed anything different”? That’s a statement that always brings a certain amount of blind panic to me. There’s obviously been a change which I’ve missed. I’ll look around and be like “noooooo” which will prompt a “look more closely” and then illumination hits..I see what has changed. Usually it’s so obvious I can’t believe I’ve missed it! Please tell me I’m not alone in this.

It’s quite ironic how often I can miss what is right in front of my face especially considering the name of my blog. When the Lord inspired me to start writing this blog, He also gave me the name for the site as well. I was very shy of using the name “EagleSight”. It was putting me out there in a way which was well outside my comfort zone. I thought the domain name would definitely be taken and I’d be able to use a different name but God had other plans. When I searched, the name was free and so it confirmed to me it was part of the Lord’s plan for this blog.

Today, I just want to encourage you to look around you with fresh eyes. There may be something near, perhaps even right under your very nose, that the Lord is calling your attention to and wants you to see. We sometimes ask the Lord for things in prayer and God may have already provided the answer but we have not recognised it. For someone, the ministry field the Lord has given you a passion and vision for may be closer than you think.

As a lawyer I have to prepare and read very long legal documents with multiple paragraphs, definitions, cross referencing etc. Often the same document is in preparation and being amended very many times. I sometimes go “Word blind” which means I start reading what I expect to see rather than what is actually there. I’ve learnt I need to go away and do another job and come back to the text. When I read it again with fresh eyes, I might see a mistake that I have missed or some text I have interpreted wrongly.

This can happen when we read our bibles. If we are sometimes very familiar with the text or a version of the bible story we may have heard we don’t sometimes “see” or “read” what is actually written. We can miss things, I pray the Holy Spirit will illuminate God’s Word to us afresh.

“Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law”
Psalm 119:18