The Long View

In the realm of the physical we know of short-sightedness and far-sightedness – two possible vision issues requiring corrective measures to aid in our physical sight.

In 2 Peter 1:9 we read of spiritual shortsightedness, a condition which limits a person to “seeing only what is near to him” oblivious to the full truth set forth in the Gospel “concerning the attainment through Christ of salvation in the kingdom of God” (Acts 11:19) in all of its full application. (Salvation {Greek word “sozo”} means “to keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction, to make well, heal, restore to health, to keep in good health, protection, to bring victory.) If there is spiritual shortsightedness, if the parallel in the physical realm holds true, there will also be spiritual farsightedness – the Spirit led ability to see as God sees; to look beyond this physical realm (seeing only what is near to us) and see AS God sees – to see WHAT God sees.

Jeremey Pearsons (pearsonsministriesinternational.org) gives us a wonderful picture of this farsightedness. He speaks of his small son unable to see what others are seeing because a crowd of tall grown-ups is blocking his view. But when his father picks him up his eyes can see at adult level. He is lifted up to see what his size limitati0n at first kept him from seeing. In the same way, God will lift us up to enable us to see as He sees – what He sees. Through the ministry of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-15), yielded to his teaching and guidance, we learn to pay attention to the unseen and to the long view.

Since we consider and look not to the things that are seen .but to the things that are unseen; for the things that are visible are temporal (brief and fleeting) but the things that are invisible are deathless and everlasting. (2 Corinthians 4:18)

Spiritual farsightedness is life-giving, reality altering, and God honoring (Hebrews 10:38). When we look up, out, and over our present circumstances, standing on the promises of God, safe in our Father’s arms, we see the positive outcome, the manifested vision, the circumstantial changes that receive the blessing. We see that they are promised and that they are ours through faith. And by faith we expect that outcome. Spiritual farsightedness sees and therefore expects our covenant with God to be. Symptoms of illness are overcome and defeated with the long, steadfast gaze toward Jesus and His promises. Fear, worry, and concern – symptoms of the prideful error in judgment that we are and should be in charge in our lives – are defeated when we look only at the promises and not the problem. When we rely on and trust in our Abba’s ability and not our own.

In fact every mountain will and must move when confronted with your faith-filled declaration (Mark 11:22-24), “every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the true knowledge of God” in your life will be refuted, cast down, and defeated (2 Corinthians 10:5), every issue in your life that does not prove the truth of God’s Word and does not demonstrate His loving, affectionate, and watchful care is subject to change!

For we walk by faith {we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man’s relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk} not by sight or appearance. (2 Corinthians 5:7)

God’s Word is the corrective lens through which we daily, routinely and habitually, develop the long view. If there is anything in your life that does not line up with and conform to the Word of God look up, out, and over that situation to what God has told you about who you are in Christ. Fix your eyes and thoughts on that. Consider only that. Our God is faithful to His Word and you activate that Truth with your faith.

Fully satisfied and assured that God was able and mighty to keep His Word and to do what He had promised. (Romans 4:21)

…for He Who promised is reliable (true) and faithful to His Word. (Hebrews 10:23)