The Baptist Testimony – Volume 54 Number 8 September 2008

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​The Baptist Testimony
Volume 54 Number 8 September 2008

The Word Has It
“Strengthen me according to Your word,” Psalm 119:28
Ken Floyd
MARBC State Representative

September’s Word:  “Eyes”

One of the most marvelous organs of the human body is the eye.  The eye serves as a window that opens up the world to us.  Here are some amazing facts about this God-created window into the world:
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• Eyes are the most complex organs you possess in your body, except for your brain.
• They are composed of more than two million working parts.
• Eyes process 36,000 bits of information every hour.
• Under the right conditions, eyes can discern the light of a candle at a distance of 14 miles.
• Eyes contribute towards 85% of your total knowledge.
• Additionally, eyes utilize 65% of all the pathways to the brain.
• Eyes can instantaneously set in motion hundreds of muscles and organs in your body.
• In a normal life-span, your eyes will bring you almost 24 million images of the world around you.
• The external muscles that move the eyes are the strongest muscles in the human body for the job that they have to do. They are 100 times more powerful than they need to be.

​Eyesight may indeed be the most precious of the five senses for most people.  While physical eyesight is extremely important, the Word of God places an even stronger significance upon a person’s spiritual eyesight.  The Bible often uses the eyes as an illustration related to spiritual wisdom.  There are over 500 references to the eyes in Scripture, many of them in the Old Testament wisdom literature of Psalms and Proverbs.  
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For example, Psalm 25:15 shares, “My eyes are ever toward the LORD, for He shall pluck my feet out of the net.”  David, the “man after God’s own heart,” prays in Psalm 119:18, “Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.”  An important visual instruction for practical daily living was quoted by Israel from the Psalm of Ascents, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills—from whence comes my help?  My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.” (Psalms 121:1-2)

In the New Testament, the writer to the Hebrew Christians reminds us of the importance of our spiritual eyesight – “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.”  (Hebrews 12:2-3)

Similarly, God’s Word comforts us with the truth that God’s omnipresent eyes are constantly focused upon His children.  Psalms 33:18 reassures us that “the eye of the LORD is on those who fear him, on those who hope in His mercy.”  Psalms 34:15 reinforces us with the fact that “the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.”

We should never take for granted the importance and precious value of good eyesight.  It is critical to proper functioning in the physical realm.  More than that, it is eternally significant in the spiritual realm.  This is why Paul prayed on behalf of the Christians in Ephesus: “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power.” (Ephesians 1:17-19)

Today would be a good day to evaluate the strength and the focus of your spiritual eyesight to be sure that it is properly focused.  God promises to give spiritual clarity of sight to those who will look to Him for direction.

You have His Word on it! (KEF)