Going to the eye doctor is always tough for me. I can never tell which of the two options looks clearer as they test my eyes. I am not sure I can see the bottom letters on the chart and I’d prefer not to have my eyes dilated. But my insurance will cover it so yesterday on my day off I got the full eye care work up.
I thank God they no longer use the “puff” picture to check your eyes for glaucoma. In my experience, I looked into this device and looked at the red barn straight ahead. And then when you least expect it, I got hit with an “eye bee-bee” of air! Thankfully, they don’t do that any longer and now do it with drops and special lights. I never saw so many lights as I went through my test. Yellow, gold, blue and I really felt like I was still seeing those lights when the appointment was over.
But I’m in pretty good shape except for an astigmatism and the fact I still need contacts/glasses. It’s always good to get good results I thought walking out. Then I immediately thought of all our patients who do not, or did not, get a good diagnosis. It’s always so, so hard when health issues hit at an unexpected time.
We now enter into Lent, the season of “seeing” our sins, our bad habits, our ways in which we fall short. We see all of it and are reminded of that by the ashen shaped cross on our foreheads for Ash Wednesday. But that’s not the end of the story. We can dwell all day on our sin. We can fill our little hearts and minds on all the ways in which we fall short but a Light still shines. Look straight ahead, a light still shines.
This light bursts out from behind the sealed up tomb on Easter morning. A bright light of many colors reminding us of God’s promise that=despite our sinful condition=God still loves. And that love was sent forth in Jesus. Don’t’ worry so much this Lenten season about giving up candy, soft drinks or cussing, just take on some light. Take on the healing light of forgiveness that only God offers and light up somebody else. Take on the light of hope, peace and joy and share it with others. That’s the full work up of Lent today and every day, just shine on!
Pr. Doug
NLS Spiritual Director
Eric is our current Webmaster and works on the NLS Communications Team. Raised in Judaism, he found Christ and the New Testament at age 16 in a Southern Baptist Church. He searched many denominations for the real church, only to find the Holy Spirit is present in all of them. He's worked for One for Israel, a group of native Israeli believers who are sharing the gospel in the holy land in Hebrew and is part of the only Hebrew speaking seminary in Israel.
