With so many things trying to catch our attention– what will we choose to set our sights upon?
Written by
Drawing the Well's Water
3 min read
What Do You Choose to See?
Our sight is one of our primary means of perceiving the world around us. Based on the information our eyes gather, we formulate conclusions about our environment and make decisions in response.
When we see an overcast sky, we conclude that it is likely to rain. Thus, we make sure to grab an umbrella before we head out.
However, our field of vision is limited. Sometimes, we look straight out of a window and see the dark storm clouds. But once we turn our heads to the left and right, we are greeted with a vastly different sight! The grey clouds fading into a clear blue sky and the sun shining brightly. From this, we know that we cannot see the full picture at one glance.
What we end up seeing depends on what we choose to face.
The Israelites’ Journey and Their Focus
This applies to our life of faith as well. Jesus teaches that “the lamp of the body is the eye” (Matt 6:22-23). What we choose to look at will impact our spirituality.
Consider the Israelites and their journey to Canaan. Throughout the descriptions of their journey from Egypt to Canaan, the Bible repeatedly mentions that the Israelites saw how God was with them. From the “great work which the LORD had done in Egypt” (Exo 14:31), to the manna which God gave them to eat for forty years while they wandered the wilderness (Exo 16:15, 35). They even witnessed how God guided them in their wanderings using the pillar of cloud and fire (Exo 13:21).
Moses puts it plainly. They had seen how God fought for them in Egypt, and carried them like a father carried his child in the wilderness.
Yet, they did not have faith in God (Deut 1:30-32).
Their eyes were focused not on the wonderful works of God, for they could not see past their own desires—cravings, thirst, and fears. When the spies brought back the fruit of the land and reported that the land indeed was flowing with milk and honey (Num 13:26), the people should have seen the faithfulness of God. But, they set their sights on the giants in the land of Canaan (Deut 1:28), and turned their eyes back to Egypt. As they recalled Egypt, they foolishly chose to ignore their sufferings as slaves and the almightiness that God had demonstrated to them. As a result, they incurred the wrath of God and lost their chance to enter into His rest (Psa 95:9-11).
Our Spiritual Sight Today
Today, we too are like the Israelites wandering in the wilderness until we reach the promised land. But what have we set our spiritual eyes upon?
The words we speak can be a simple indicator of what our spiritual sights are set on, since our words reflect our heart (Matt 15:18). The Israelites often complained, which reflected their focus on struggles rather than the daily love and faithfulness of God.
If we find ourselves often complaining about the difficulties we meet, perhaps we too are overly focused on the harshness of the wilderness or the enemies about us.
Most of the time, we cannot remove these difficulties from our sight. But in the moments where our lives feel tossed and turned, it is crucial to focus our sight on God (Matt 14:29-30). Though our sight and strength are limited, the God we worship is the same God who performed miracles in Egypt and the wilderness for His people.
When our sights are focused on God, we will realise His great love and faithfulness through the many blessings and mercies He bestows upon us daily. And naturally, our complaints will turn into thanksgiving and praise for God.
