Joanne Sher: Editor/Proofreader : Blinded So I Can See

Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus. Acts 9:8 NIV

Distractions are everywhere. On my computer. In my house. On the TV, the Kindle, my phone. Out my window. In my car. At church. Everywhere I look, there is something to keep me from what I should be doing.

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And sometimes, all I need is one thing to distract me. I have a tendency to be, well, the queen of tunnel vision. Give me one thing to focus on, and... well... everything else can disappear - if I'm focused enough, of course. If not, then all those little things mentioned above will jump in and distract me.

Sometimes that tunnel vision is good. I have a project I need to work on, and the TV blaring, the cat jumping on my back, or the lawnmower running outside will do nothing to break me out of "the zone." I work hard. I get done what I need to. Go me!

But what if my "project" is outside God's will? What if what I'm supposed to be doing is one (or more) of those "distractions?" Well, then we have a problem.

I think maybe that's what Saul/Paul's issue was. He comes across to me as a very focused person - maybe even with Joanne-Sher-like tunnel vision. He knew those Christ followers were drawing people away from Judaism, profaning the name of the God he had worshiped all his life. Blaspheming. And he had to do something about it.

So he went to Damascus with permission to imprison any Christ followers he found. His vision was razor-sharp on his mission.

Until God took that vision away from him. (Acts 9:1-19)

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Yes, the Lord struck Saul with blindness, so even his tunnel vision was gone. He could see nothing - except what the Lord wanted him to see. Which was the truth.

Could it be that Saul's vision was so filled with lies that the only way he would follow the truth would be for the Lord to blind Him? Could my vision be the same? Could yours?

Heavenly Father, blind me so I can see.

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Scripture Stories: Timeless Truths

6 comments:

Rita GarciaOctober 07, 2013
Love this perspective, thank you, Joanne. It is easy to become
so focused on our own agenda that we miss God’s best for us.
I pray each morning that God will direct my day, and lead
and guide each step I take.
Linda YezakOctober 07, 2013
I was just talking to God in total shame about how easily I'm distracted from the path. He must've thought I needed to see this post.Thanks for being His instrument!
Terri TiffanyOctober 07, 2013
Love this post. You have a wonderful gift of taking scripture and bringing it to today.