April 21st | The Eyes of Your Heart
A SERIES OF DEVOTIONS BASED ON PAUL’S LETTER TO THE EPHESIANS
THE EYES OF YOUR HEART
Ephesians 1:18 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people . . .”
St. Paul here in today’s devotional verse is praying a prayer based upon his own personal experience. As a fervent, practicing Pharisee, Paul was totally blind to Jesus being the Son of God, the Messiah, the one sent by God to take away the sins of the world. In his passion, as a devout Jew and Pharisee, he persecuted whoever he could get his hands on who followed Jesus and believed Him to be the Savior of the human race.
While on the road to Damascus to arrest more Christians, Jesus struck down Paul. The confrontation with Paul included him becoming physically blind. As is often the case with blindness, other of the five senses become sharpened. One of those senses for Paul was his sense of hearing. He heard Jesus call out to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me.”
It was at the time of Paul’s baptism when his sight was restored. Then he not only could physically see, but also was given spiritual sight. For the first time he recognized Jesus as the Messiah promised by God through the Old Testament Prophets Paul knew so well. At the moment of His baptism the Holy Spirit worked faith in his heart to see the one he so vehemently opposed as his personal Savior from sin.
Paul’s personal Damascus experience is foundational to the prayer he penned under inspiration of the Holy Spirit to the Ephesians, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people . . .” (Ephesians 1:18) As the Holy Spirit opened the eyes of Paul’s heart for him to see Jesus as his personal Savior and Lord, so his prayer that the Holy Spirit will do the same for you each day of your life.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, open the eyes of my heart to see Jesus as my Savior and Lord.
Creator Spirit by whose aid The world’s foundations first were laid, Come, visit ev’ry humble mind; Come, pour Your joys on human kind; From sin and sorrow set us free; May we Your living temples be.
O Source of uncreated light, The bearer of God’s gracious might, Thrice holy fount, thrice holy fire, Our hearts with heav’nly love inspire; Your sacred, healing message bring to sanctify us as we sing.
Giver of grace, descend from high; Your sev’nfold gifts to us supply; Help us eternal truths receive And practice all that we believe; Give us Yourself that we may see The glory of the Trinity.
Immortal honor, endless fame Attend the almighty Father’s name; The Savior Son be glorified, Who for all humankind has died; To You, O Paraclete, we raise Unending songs of thanks and praise.
(LSB 500)