February 1, 2008
I think that I might one day like to get a really good pair of night goggles. I very much enjoy being outdoors when it’s dark, but am very aware that much more is happening than I can actually see with my daylight-designed eyes. But since I don’t have any night goggles, I listen. I have found that sounds in the apparent emptiness of darkness take on a mysterious quality and invite the inquisitive to search them out.
Of course, some aren’t merely mysterious, but are also threatening (growls from under shadows, heavy footsteps in the fog, and so on). I’m not always ready to race towards these without first considering the possibilities.
Maybe a bit more interesting than night vision goggles would be a pair of “spiritual vision goggles”. You know, a pair of binoculars that see spiritual activity around you using the heavenly equivalent of infrared technology. Were one to walk through our homes, neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools today one might find all sorts of interesting things. In some places we’d find great evil blatantly displaying itself. In others, subtle predators with their subtle snares. And even others we’d find the graceful hand of God moving, redeeming, and transforming.
Even if we were to content ourselves with strolling through our various communities of Christians with our “spiritual vision goggles”, I’m sure that we would make all sorts of amazing discoveries. I strongly suspect, for example, that while there are indeed undoubtedly pockets of discouragement and fear, there would also be flaming patches of spiritual light with the heat of renewal as God moves uninhibited among His people.
But what I think we’d find more often than not are the wilting flowers of tired Believers whose leafy vines of service are only sparsely ladened with the fruit that the Lord should be finding there. The Church isn’t always the greenhouse of spiritual encouragement and sound Biblical teaching that it should be.
And when the roots of one’s walk with God dangle into the fetid clays of worldliness, apathy, selfishness, or pride, his or her life needs a cleansing and a “repotting” into the fresh and rich soils of adoration of the Father, humble reliance upon His promises, and merciful grace towards others.
Consider for a moment that the Lord strongly desires to cultivate in your life fruitfulness that only He can produce. And if He doesn’t find it there, He feels something akin to what we call disappointment.
“Then Jesus told this parable, ‘A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, “For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?” “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down” (Luke 13:6-9 NIV).
While we do not have “heavenly vision goggles” per se, the Holy Spirit of God does impart to us, as we walk with Him, heavenly vision. Of course, He’s in charge of where it points and therefore what we see. What is it that He desires for us to see? He has us cast a critical eye over our own lives and the fruit that we are (or aren’t) harvesting. He has us examine the condition of our leaves, whether or not we are truly basking in the sunlight of His grace. He has us test the soils of our reliance on the Bible, whether or not we’re truly rooted in His Word and are coming to know Him through it. If things are lacking, He invites us to loosen the soils of our complacency, stretch out into His light, and receive the nourishing waters of daily dependence on Him.
One thing I’m sure of is that if we truly give Him our all, He’ll give us all we need and more than we can ask. The fruit will come. He will be pleased. Our joy will be full.
“This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples. As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you. Now remain in My love. If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commands and remain in His love. I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:8-11 NIV).
(Thom Mollohan and his family have ministered in southern Ohio the past twelve and half years. He is the pastor of Pathway Community Church and may be reached for comments or questions by email at pastorthom@pathwaygallipolis.com).
