I love these things, as a little girl I would beg daddy to pick me up so I could look through it and see the vast area before me. When I got older and even now I get giddy with excitement to see what beauty I will behold when I glance through it... I remember one of our many times in Chattanooga we would go to Lookout Mountain and just have a family day, and walk around the old battlefield and just have a good day... we would always make our way to the lookout point and although it boasts of seeing 7 states... I don't know if I ever really did... I would go bouncing up and sometimes I would let my sisters go first... but I would always try to get my chance in first... and when It would be overcast or foggy or rainy... you couldn't see much of anything, but well just Tennessee... so much for 7 states on those days! Sometimes I would keep looking and looking just to see if something would become clear... and it never did... but then those times when it was clear and beautiful... you could see for miles and miles each way.. it was beautiful! Now I don't know if I ever really saw the 7 states.. but I would like to think so... that I was standing in a place that was perfect to view the very 7 it promised!

I was thinking on vision today.. well this is just one thing among many that have been on my mind lately... and I feel like lately that my vision in blurry... on a spiritual level... I haven't lost my vision, for If I did I wouldn't be here... but I know I am not the only one who at one time or another and for whatever reason... our vision is out of focus... It doesn't mean that you have taken your eyes off of your goal it just means that there is an obstruction of some sort in your way. It is dangerous to have your vision obstructed... for when you have your vision obstructed you can have an accident, carnal or spiritual... we know that if you obstruct the vision of someone driving it could cause a bad accident, or walking... they could trip and fall or walk into something etc, and the Bible says that without a vision the people perish... you can also become discouraged, hopeless, sad, frantic, worried, complacent, judgemental, etc... I got to thinking about Elisha and his servant in 2 Kings 6:17

~ And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and behold the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha. His servant couldn't see what Elisha could see... He was fearful and afraid, because his vision was limited to what was right in front of him... Horses, chariots, and a great host... but because of the overwhelming senses of what was going on... he couldn't see beyond it.. He didn't have the strength he needed to look beyond.. But there was a man of God who took time to pray for his servant so that God would open his eyes. Will you take time to be the one that will pray for ( stand in the gap) for your friend? For your fellow brother or sister?

I remember when my family would go to Lookout Mtn and sometimes when I would help my sisters who were very small at the time... to see through the (high powered binoculars) I would either hold them to help them see or we would share it and I would look through it with one of my eyes and then they would with one also so we both could see it at the same time. Mind you this didn't happen alot... because we wanted our own turn, as kids normally do.. :o)

You never know what your brother and sister may be going through... you may always see them with a smile and friendly handshake or hug, or you may see them angry or sad... but before jumping to a conclusion... carefully consider through prayer the situation.. and pray for them.

In Isaiah 41:6 it says They helped everyone his neighbor; and everyone said to his brother, Be of good courage.... and then skipping down to vrs 20 we see that after the encouragement came from people... God then spoke a word of courage, hope, love and peace to them, and told what he would do for them vrs 20~ That they may see, and know, and consider, and understand together, that the hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it.

Where one was discouraged and couldn't see beyond the right here and now, their brother/sister stepped in, and then God stepped in... and opened their spiritual eyes...

Is God waiting on you to do your part?

Do you know someone hurting or despairing? Do you have a word of comfort or courage you can give someone? If you do... please do it!

When people are in this state.. they are crying out inside for just something they can grasp or hold onto... Everyone at one time or another will experience this... and when you do you want someone to be there with a word...

One of my favorite scriptures is in Habakkuk 2:3 it says ~

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come it will not tarry...

but the scripture right before that says in vrs 2 ~ And the Lord answered me , and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon the tables, that he may run that readeth it.

When God gives you a vision... remember it... write to down literally! When you get discouraged go back to that.... read it again.. find strength. Pray with someone. and remember that the vision that God has given to you... He has an appointed time for you to see it fully come to pass... and just because it doesn't happen in our time it will happen..God has NOT forgot about you or what He said to you. Keep living, serving, waiting on him... and it will come.. Ask Jesus to open your spiritual eyes, to see what He sees and not what you see! He will do it..... Ask him to pick you up and hold you so you can see through the spiritual binoculars he has focused on your life!

~ Shani