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Lenten devotions 2008

FEB. 25 - INTO NEW SIGHT
By Keith Graber Miller, professor of Bible, religion and philosophy

THIS WEEK'S THEME: Into new sight

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DEVOTIONAL:
During the Lenten season last year, when my family and I were leading Goshen's first Study-Service Term in Cambodia, I became increasingly and frighteningly aware that my vision was declining. At first I noticed that, even with corrective lenses, I could not read street signs as tuk-tuks (motorcycle carts) catapulted me through traffic. Then I realized I could barely make out students' handwriting in their reflective journals. Then ordering off restaurant menus became a trial unless I was within range of bright lights.

When we returned home in April, I discovered that what I had suspected was correct: the cataract in my right eye had worsened dramatically, and a secondary cataract had developed in my left eye. Surgery returned both eyes to 20/20 distance vision, a modern miracle for which I am very grateful. Most striking, perhaps, was seeing, as though for the first time, the brilliance of colors; my clouded natural lenses had nearly extinguished hues, reducing the spectrum so slowly and imperceptibly that I had been unaware of the loss.

"Into new sight," this week's Lenten theme, carries special meaning for me this year. In the biblical text, "seeing" is a key motif, especially in the Gospel of John: seeing the coming of God's reign (Mark 9:1; John 3:3), seeing God through seeing Jesus (John 1:14, 18; 14:9; Colossians 1:15), the pure in heart seeing God (Matthew 5:8) and seeing the resurrected Christ (Acts 1:22; John 3:11, 32; 8:38; 19:35). One of Jesus' key miracles is healing the man born blind (John 9). But even with all of this focus on seeing, Jesus also pronounces a blessing on "those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (John 20:29).

No matter what the condition of our vision, to be open to Jesus is to be prepared for new sight: perspectives we hadn't considered, radiant colors we couldn't remember, hope we could no longer visualize, truths that had eluded us, blind spots we hadn't acknowledged. May this Lenten season grant us renewed vision for navigating the journey of faith.

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Devotion organizer’s note: To clear up some confusion, we do not include a Scripture with the devotions on Mondays, but rather focus the devotion on the week's theme (a subtheme of "Out of the depths"). The lectionary then offers us four Scriptures that we include with the devotions the rest of the week.
Posted at 19:34 #