Lift up your eyes on high, and see who has created these things… —Isaiah 40:26
The people of God in Isaiah’s time had blinded their minds’ ability to see God by looking on the face of idols. But Isaiah made them look up at the heavens; that is, he made them begin to use their power to think and to visualize correctly. If we are children of God, we have a tremendous treasure in nature and will realize that it is holy and sacred. We will see God reaching out to us in every wind that blows, every sunrise and sunset, every cloud in the sky, every flower that blooms, and every leaf that fades, if we will only begin to use our blinded thinking to visualize it.
The real test of spiritual focus is being able to bring your mind and thoughts under control. Is your mind focused on the face of an idol? Is the idol yourself? Is it your work? Is it your idea of what a servant should be, or maybe your experience of salvation and sanctification? If so, then your ability to see God is blinded. You will be powerless when faced with difficulties and will be forced to endure in darkness. If your power to see has been blinded, don’t look back on your own experiences, but look to God. It is God you need. Go beyond yourself and away from the faces of your idols and away from everything else that has been blinding your thinking. Wake up and accept the ridicule that Isaiah gave to his people, and deliberately turn your thoughts and your eyes to God.
One of the reasons for our sense of futility in prayer is that we have lost our power to visualize. We can no longer even imagine putting ourselves deliberately before God. It is actually more important to be broken bread and poured-out wine in the area of intercession than in our personal contact with others. The power of visualization is what God gives a saint so that he can go beyond himself and be firmly placed into relationships he never before experienced.
____________________________________________
Journal DJR
Good morning Lord, Recently I have been noticing you more in nature. Of course you are always there but I’ve been too busy “chasing butterflies and shiny objects”… thinking my thoughts, and feeling my feelings, simmering in my angst… just generally rotating around myself, the center of my universe. Yuck! It sounds pretty bad, when I list it all out that way. Chambers, and Isaiah call those things idols. And these idols seem just as effective at derailing my connection with You as if I were bowing down to some idol carved of stone or wood. Thru my struggles with Centering Prayer… bringing only a naked intent to connect… and fending off those idols, clamoring for center stage in my mind… I have found myself more able to see you in all of nature and all creation, and see “All things” working (Romans 8:28)
I agree with Chambers that visualization is a good gift you have given us… but only to get started. After a time, visualizing myself walking and talking with you along the shore of Galilee, or driving to Home Depot… those helpful visualizations eventually get in the way. So I come… with Naked Intent. Just to be with you. And let it look like whatever it looks like. And “see” you however you choose, Even if it’s dark. It seems like you spoke out of darkness and a cloud and in a still small voice more than booming thunder. So please help me with this. My butterflies and shiny objects are strong and don’t back off easily. I think I’ll listen to Leonard Cohen about You and Darkness one more time and see if you speak through that today…….
Click Image for John White's Original Vision For CO2's
