Eyes to See?

We can become so accustomed to our sin patterns and unaware of a hardening heart that instead of turning to thirst more after God, we wander away from God and fill ourselves with empty or even harmful things. Tired, angry, frightened, or hurting we might shut down, put up walls, and hide. If we are to thirst after God and His righteousness, we must identify, confess, and turn from our unrighteous ways that cause us to run from God instead of to God. What unrighteous ways? Do you think more highly of yourself than others? Perhaps we think our children are more well-behaved, better dressed, more clever, or smarter than other people’s children. Are we lovers of money, seekers of security, or accumulators of wealth? Do you feel uncomfortable around those whose hearts seem fully abandoned to God? Have you become an empty pre- tender, well-schooled in the externals, having the outward appearance of loving God, but really denying His power? Do you seek gratification in temporal things? Are you discontent, high-minded, or blinded with pride? Do you keep your word? Do you love ease and pleasure more than loving God? Do you struggle with self-control, always longing for more and never truly satisfied? Are you gluttonous? Lazy? Stubborn or will- ful? Do you want position, power, or prestige—and at times willing to do anything to get it?

Does anything on this list describe you? No doubt it does, for we are all sinners, none of us is exempt. The apostle Paul quoted David when he wrote his letter to the Romans that no one is righteous: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:10-18).

This may sound like a grim verdict for us, and it is. But God made a way where there was no way for those who would look to His Son for salvation and believe. When we look to Christ and confess our sin, we can and will be washed, cleansed, and purified from all unrighteousness. Jesus cried out to the crowd and to us, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water’” (Jn. 7:37-38). Have you come to this well? Do you come to this well daily? Do you stand right under the waterfall of His grace? Let it pour over you and in you and drink deeply by faith through grace. The Lord longs for us to come to Him, to desire His character and His righteousness above all and to live a life with one focus, one purpose, one God, one Spirit, all so that we will know—truly know—and experience Him and overflow with Him.