Farsighted

It was a long time before I really understood what the simple terms "farsighted" or "nearsighted" actually meant. That's probably a blessing. I've had great eyesight for most of my life and those were just terms that people who wore glasses talked about. It came as a simple revelation when I realized that the terms meant exactly what they said! If you are farsighted you see far away. If you are nearsighted you see up close!

Sometimes in our prayers, we have a tendency to become nearsighted. We see what is going on in our lives and we then ask God for His intervention in our lives-up close and personal.

While those terms do define where one can see, by their very definition; they also define what one cannot see. The problem with being near or farsighted isn't the fact of the ability to see near or far; it is rather in the inability to do the opposite. The problem with being farsighted is you are blind to what is close to you. The problem with being nearsighted is you are blind to what is far away from you.

Sometimes in our prayers, we have a tendency to become nearsighted. We become blind to what is far away from us.

Over the next couple weeks as we pray together, I'm going ask you to put on spectacles of faith that will help us see far away. We need to be farsighted in our prayers.

Our Christian faith is so easy in this great land of freedom. We forget it isn't that way everywhere.

Hebrews 13:3 reads as follows:

Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.

The reference to those in prison, was not talking about just those serving in prisons for any reason. It was specifically for those who were suffering for their faith. They are the persecuted. Hebrews says we are to put ourselves in their place.

Over the next several prayer journals I want to remind you of Christians around this world who are persecuted for their faith. We need to pray for them. We need to partner with them. We need to lift them up in our prayers.

In a recent Decision Magazine (from the Franklin Graham organization) I had an eye-opening experience as I read about believer after believer who is being persecuted for his/her faith or has been martyred.

As I read, I felt the Spirit prompt me and remind me, "Your vision of My Kingdom is often too small. As you pray as I have called you to pray-remember to pray for more than just your church and your ministry. Pray for all your brothers and sisters, even the ones you do not see."

Sometimes in our prayers, we have a tendency to become nearsighted.

The cure begins as we repent of our failure to see beyond the end of our noses. Over the next few weeks we will deliberately be a little more far-focused.