Open My Eyes

6 min read

17 And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
— 2 Kings 6:17

There is a spiritual reality that we know little about because we don’t have eyes to see it. What we can know about this spiritual reality is only what the word of God tells us. … And, really, that is enough for us. But we face some challenges with respect to what we see.

I’ve read that in “less developed” societies, it is generally easier for spiritual people to literally see spiritual activity going on around them. How could we ever verify such things?

I think people in the “more developed” societies are very uncomfortable with such testimonies. We have become so locked into the idea that reality can only be verified through rationalism and scientific method. And so we have to conscientiously remind ourselves of the reality of the spiritual realms, even if we can’t see them.

I pray that God would give me eyes to see into the spiritual realms. But if God opened my eyes, that would present a problem for me in this post-Christian world. If I testified to what I was witnessing, most people would think that I was utterly nuts. I might even come to distrust the things that I was seeing myself!

One thing is for sure. If God would open my eyes to see the spiritual realms, I would still need the word of God to interpret whatever I was seeing.

God gave Elisha eyes to see; then He blinded the eyes of the enemies. But God opened eyes and blinded eyes in order to save lives and bring peace. God saved the lives of Elisha and his servant. God saved the lives of the soldiers of Israel. God even saved the lives of the soldiers of the enemy. And because God saved the lives of the soldiers of the enemy, they stopped raiding Israel.

If I am only benefiting myself with the vision that I am given, but disregarding the welfare of my family, my community, and even my enemies, I’m would not be seeing things according to the word of God. I would not be seeing things right.

And here’s the thing. If I am interpreting what I am seeing according to the world of God—or even if (by faith) I am interpreting what I cannot see according to the word of God—this world would still think that I was pretty nuts. But if what I understand comes from God’s word, there can be no doubt about its truth in my heart.

I want eyes to be able to see the spiritual realms. But what I need so much more is a heart of faith to understand and obey the word of God.

Blessed are You, Father—God of the creation and of life—who gives eyes to see and hearts to understand. Open our eyes, so that we may see. Open our hearts so that we may understand and obey. In Jesus’s name. Amen.