What Do Your Eyes See?

Cloudy days - you’ve seen them, you’ve had them, you’ve lived them.
So have I.
Maybe you were driving, maybe you were outside with your family,
but no matter what you were doing, you noticed the thick, dark clouds covering the sky.
You’ve seen skies like that, no matter where you are in the world, right?
A heavy, thick covering of clouds,

…except…

Except for that one, open patch
where you can see through to the bright blue sky above the clouds.
When you’re looking at the dark sky, with the one bright spot,
where do you look?
What do you notice?
What do your eyes see?

There are so many ways to think about that one bright spot:

It’s good to remember that even on a cloudy day, the sun still shines.

Just because we can’t see it, that doesn’t mean it isn’t shining.

In a very dark world, we can be a light.

We live in a lost and dying world. So many others are facing some life-changing and life-challenging situations. In some areas, people are risking their lives - even losing their lives - by claiming the name of Jesus. Some areas of the world are so financially destitute that people can’t feed their families.

And maybe we’re safe where we live.
We may not live in a place where our lives are in danger. We can hopefully feed and clothe our families, and provide for at least the basic needs.

But maybe we live in a place of soul pain. Maybe our world is dark and cloudy because of emotional circumstances or because of choices we’ve made.

Satan loves to see those “clouds” roll into our lives. I believe it brings him great joy when our lives are covered with struggles or oppression or storm clouds.

…the sun is still shining above the clouds…

And this:

…the Son is still shining above the clouds…

Just because the clouds have rolled in doesn’t mean that God isn’t there, or that He doesn’t see you…or me.

This morning’s drive to church was gray with thick, heavy clouds. Everywhere I looked - clouds. Dark, heavy clouds that were blocking my view of the blue sky…

…except for that one spot where the sun was still shining, where the sun broke through the clouds and where the clouds - the storm clouds -

COULD

NOT

BLOCK

OUT

THE

SUN.

And while I scanned the whole sky, taking in both the clouds and the sun, what did my eyes finally land on? The beauty of the sun, coming through the clouds.

In this world, people are noticing - they’re noticing the darkness. Maybe it’s the persecution of Christians, or of other religious groups. Maybe they notice the poverty in certain regions of the world. Perhaps they notice people in need, right in their own neighborhood.

Are we being the light? As Christians, we have God’s love inside of us. We can be that ray of sunlight in someone’s life. We don’t even have to worry about the “how” of being sunlight, we just have to trust God to provide the opportunity.
And He will.

Maybe you’re facing clouds in your life. So am I.

As we scan the sky, and as we look at our lives, we may see the clouds. There are many. But keep looking.

Keep looking.

What do your eyes see?

Just because we can’t see the sun, that doesn’t mean it isn’t shining.

For that reason, I pray that this space is a place of refuge for us.
Yes, us, because I’m walking through life just like you. I’m in the midst of my own messes on this side of the screen.

That sunshine, though… that Son-shine… will attract our eyes, and our hearts. Have you noticed? I’m sure you have.

Some of the most beautiful skies I’ve seen are stormy skies.

What do your eyes see?

original photo source