Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.
Psalm 119:18

 

Is Psalm 119:18 your prayer as you open God’s Word? Would you consider making it your prayer?

O God Almighty, teach me from your Word. Show me what You have for me here today. My heart is open and expectant. Give me a fresh look, a deeper revelation from even familiar passages. I want more. I want to know You more deeply, so I can follow You more intentionally. I pray my life will bring You glory today.

Open my eyes…

In asking for God to open his eyes, the Psalmist acknowledges the possibility of closed eyes – or a closed heart. How often are we so sure we are right? So confident the decision we have made is correct? The prayer…

Open my eyes…

reflects a teachable spirit and a posture of humility before God.

Lord, show me where I have been too sure. Show me where I am blinded. Pry my eyes and my heart open to see YOU. I want YOUR plan, YOUR way, and I want YOUR glory to be revealed in my life!

…that I may see….

Have you ever read a passage and thought of someone else that should be reading it? Thought of someone else that needs to learn that lesson printed on the page? Yep. We are all guilty.

Our time of intimacy with God in His Word should prompt us to make it personal. What is God saying to me?

We’re not praying that He will open the eyes of our mother, father, spouse, child, friend, second cousin once removed, or irritating neighbor. Those prayers of intercession may also come, but first and foremost, we need to make it personal. We need to hear from God. We ourselves need to be fed from His Word.

The flight attendant on a plane always gives us the same reminder before takeoff that, in the unlikely event of cabin pressure loss, “Oxygen masks will drop down from above your seat. Place the mask over your mouth and nose…If you are traveling with children, make sure that your own mask is on first before helping your children. (For a fun rendition of this familiar spiel, check out this video. Gotta love Southwest!)

That’s good advice for traveling and also good advice for life. Check yourself first before trying to fix, take care of, or straighten out somebody else.

Check yourself first before trying to fix, take care of, or straighten out somebody else. Click To Tweet

God’s Word is our spiritual oxygen! It’s vital for daily survival! Breathe deep!

Wonderful things…

My Hebrew-Greek Study Bible (no, I don’t read Hebrew, but I love my lexicon!) tells me the Hebrew word translated wonderful in English is pala. It means to separate or distinguish and is often used to describe God Almighty. It reminds us that He alone can do things that are beyond our human ability.

Armed with this definition, I can pray,

God show me truth in your Word that surpasses my human understanding. Reveal Your extraordinary, surpassing greatness. Let me see YOU, know YOU more intimately by what I am reading in Your Word today. Show me wonderful truth about wonderful YOU!

…in your law…

Why do we look for wonder, for truth, for guidance, for encouragement, conviction, direction, or help anywhere else? His Word is powerful, supreme, and wonderful!

How do you approach God’s Word? I pray it is with a heart of expectancy. I pray it is with anticipation and hope. I pray you come hungry and expect to be fed. I pray you come expecting to be satisfied and blessed.

We often find what we are looking for.

Let’s ask God to open our eyes and stir up our hearts today.