Today's fun fact: According to Science Direct, there are 130 million photoreceptors in the human retina. As light receivers, They convert light into a form your brain can use for your sense of vision.
Wow, the human body is fantastic. The nuances that drive bodily function never cease to amaze me.
As I met with a friend this week, I shared a prayer from a challenging season of youth ministry: "Father, allow me to see through Your eyes." In other words, give me eyes to see as You see.
It's both a dangerous and a beautiful prayer.
God placed within us the ability to receive Light. Matthew 6:22-23 speaks to this very thing: "The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!"
If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light.
As I write Revealed Fire, the third installment of the Revealed Book series, I consider possible challenges Maddie and her Fam face as darkness encroaches. What will tribulation look like for those surrendered to Jesus?
The mountain town of Wild Rock banded together to help one another as the rest of the world unknowingly falls into darkness. Maddie comes from a city where neighbors are familiar strangers, but this little town united in a beautiful way she has never witnessed. Neighbors take care of neighbors, shining the light of Christ as they serve one another.
Maddie's bubble of safety doesn’t last long. When tragedy hits Wild Rock, she must choose whether to pick up her shield of faith or allow fear to take her out. Her Aunt Lisa challenges her to read Psalm 13, where King David resolves to find the light even when darkness overwhelmed:
"Consider and answer me, O Lord my God; light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, 'I have overcome him,' and my foes will rejoice when I fall.""Why did he say that?" Maddie asked.Leaning down to kiss Eva Mae, Aunt Lisa pulled the blanket up to her daughter's chest and smiled. Turning to Maddie, she said, "David was bein' chased by King Saul and he thinks God has forgotten 'im.""What does it mean when he says, 'Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death?""Shhh," Aunt Lisa turns out the light and motions for Maddie to quietly leave the room." Grabbing her Bible, she led her niece into the kitchen. Opening to Psalm 13, she read, "In the ver' next verse, he tells God that he can trust in his unfailin' love. David is askin' God to give 'im eyes to see so he's not stuck in the weeds of his problem."Maddie couldn't hold the tears back any longer. Looking at her aunt, she asked,"Can I ask for that? I'm so tired of being in the dark. I want to see what God sees so I can do what He wants me to do."Aunt Lisa smiled at her niece as she lifted her chin, "Ya shore can, but know that it's a dangerous prayer.""Why?""'Cause, when ya see through God's eyes ya see all the sufferin', the pain, the sorrow, but ya also see all the joy. Ya gotta know what to do with the both of 'em.""Do? What can I do with someone's suffering?""Well, ya lay it down first and then ya 'tend to the hurtin'. Jes' like ya did with Doc Walker. What'd ya do when he needed a hand ta help Benjamin?""I prayed and then gave him my hand?"Aunt Lisa chuckled as she closed her bible. "That's right. When the Lord calls, you'll know. Then, ya jes' give 'im yer hand."
When God shines His Light into the 130 million photoreceptors of a surrendered heart, we see Him and others through His eyes.
The Southeast is reeling in the devastating aftermath of Hurricane Helene. We only experienced some light flooding in my neck of the woods, but many have lost loved ones, others who are missing their loved ones. I have friends in communities where the roads are impassable and brave men and women are trekking resources in on foot. If I can be transparent, I had to pause this week because I was writing about what I saw on the news.
Why God? How can I write about something that is still so raw?
It’s okay to ask why. God has big shoulders. He answered me, “You can’t hide from real life. Isn’t that what this book is about? Hope in the face of tribulation? Well, Daughter, this is tribulation—suffering which has occurred since the fall. You don’t have to write about the end times to write about suffering. But Eve, do you remember David? He wrote about suffering, but he also had eyes to see the beauty in the suffering. Open your eyes.”
And so I did. While the devastation was still there, I began to see strangers drop everything to hike to homes behind impassable roads. Neighbors opened their homes to the displaced. Pilots used their planes to deliver much-needed resources to the hardest hit areas. Weary searchers sought the missing night and day. The generous donated food, water, and money to help those with boots on the ground. Empathetic neighbors lend a listening ear to those who have lost everything. And the intercessors, well, they prayed and are praying for them all.
God’s Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness shall not overcome it!
The enemy would want Maddie (and us) to stay stuck in the mud of our circumstances, but God's Light shines on every receiving eye, willing to say, “Give me eyes to see.”
So, what do you see?
Well, that’s it for my week in writing. Today's FREEmium download includes verses that help Maddie in those moments when fear seems to be winning. Please hit reply or comment below, and share your favorite verse encouraging you to hold on to faith when fear sets in. Please join me in praying for those still reeling from the hurricane. There is so much suffering all around us. God has given us eyes to see so we can pray and act. And there are so many with boots on the ground who need resources. If you are interested in helping in the efforts, I have shared some amazing organizations below.
Well, this is Eve signing out. We’ll see you next week on Fun Fact Friday.
Tennessee:
North Carolina:
- Boone Hospitality House (Venmo) @HospHouse
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