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“Faith is the reality of what we hope for, the proof of what we don’t see.” 

(Hebrews 11:1, ESV)

Dance Battle from "Leap"

Greetings to you all in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Now we have a whole different color of the season, winter into spring, not fancy yet though. Like the world prepares the new season of life, we are also preparing to celebrate the Christ’s resurrection through this season of Lent. I mean, we are preparing our new life in the power of the resurrection of Christ Jesus! 

Are we ready for that?

Anyway, it is now much easier for us to drive because we don’t have to worry about the snowy icy road for a while. So I can enjoyably look around the field while I am driving. I can see that the seasonal birds are coming back and singing in our deck and playing in the lake - still it is partly icy though. The shy greens are starting to show their faces in our front and back yard coming out from the ground. Of course, deer and turkeys near and far, I can see. 

But in a moment, I was kind of surprised by the fact that I was able to see those living things in a distance while I was driving because it was not possible for me to see that when I moved to Wisconsin about twenty years ago. So when someone pointed the deer in a far distance in the field, I was amazed of their ability. So I thought, they had a hunter’s eye because I did not see any. 

So what did I do? I sang in prayer, “O Lord, open my eyes that I may see!”. In other words, “Lord, give me that hunter’s eye because I am going to live in Wisconsin and I want to see those while I am driving”.

Now, somewhat I have that hunter’s eye. I wonder “How?”. 

I am guessing that it is not because I become a hunter but because I become a Wisconsinite. I am getting to realize more what is happening around me, many living things moving, crawling and growing in the fields - as you all know I grew in a big city covered by the cement and asphalt. So I dare to say I have an eye of a Wisconsinite now. My prayers were answered! How great our God is!

How about our spiritual life now moving from the season of Lent to the season of Christ’s resurrection? Do we see something amazing things that God has prepared for us, something unseen? But not sure? So I sing again in prayer, “Open my eyes that I may see, O Lord!”

“Open my eyes to see the wonderful truth in your instructions!” (Psalm 119:18, NLT)

As I read Psalm one day, I realize that I was not the only one who sang that song, “Open my eyes that I may see!”. Israel people, several thousand years ago, sang that song because they wanted to see something more, something beyond where they were. It was  the wonderful truths! 

Israel people are well known people of following the law, the words of God, because they delight in the law of the Lord meditating on it day and night. Why? Because they wanted to see something more, something hidden from the law. It was the wonderful truths!

Now people were able to see that through the eyes of Jesus Christ, so called faith. How come? 

Two thousand years ago, Apostle Paul wrote a letter to the Hebrews who were struggling with having a new eye so called faith. Those Hebrews wanted to see something more from God’s instruction, the Law of Moses. And they began to ponder about those followers of Jesus Christ who had that new eye because even when they were in prison, they were filled with joy and thanksgiving. Even when they were persecuted because of their faith, they prayed for those who persecuted them. Why? Because they were able to see something more, the wonderful truths, whatever situation brought them. No wonder why those Hebrews wanted to have that long time even before that in Psalm. And it was their prayers.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, do we see something that Apostles could see when they were in prison? Do we see something that those Hebrew followers of Jesus could see when they were persecuted by Romans, the wonderful truths? Or do we want to have their eyes to see that truths that save lives, bring healing, bring restoration and bring victory? Of course we do. 

So now join me, our new journey with faith in Christ who suffered and died but resurrected. We will have that new eye!  

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Kyochul