Valley of Vision

June 1: Tuesday Refocus

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‘Move, I pray Thee, upon my disordered heart; take away the infirmities of unruly desires and hateful lusts; lift the mists and darkness of unbelief; brighten my soul with the pure light of truth.’ - Valley of Vision

My heart is divided, deceitful, and desperately sick, it springs with life and death (Psalm 86:11, Jeremiah 17:9, Proverbs 4:23, Ezekiel 36:26). The heart is complex, and confusing - who can understand their own heart, much less the heart of another (Jeremiah 17:9. Proverbs 20:24)?

I am incapable of changing my own heart, because I do not have a bad heart that needs to be made better, but a stone heart that needs to be made flesh (Ezekiel 36:26).  And this only occurs from Without, not within.  I am only made alive by the illuminating work of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 4:6, Ephesians 2:1-10, John 16:13).

The hope of my heart is not trying harder, being better, doing more, but becoming Christ’s.  I need my heart to be transformed to look like the heart of Christ: gentle and lowly (Matt 11:29).

Lord, make my dead heart alive.  Make my calloused heart tender.  Give me a heart like Yours, Lord Jesus.  In Your name, amen.

Asking,

AB

April 27: Tuesday Refocus

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‘Grant me never lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the exceeding righteousness of salvation, the exceeding glory of Christ, the exceeding beauty of holiness, the exceeding wonder of grace.’ - Valley of Vision

The more clearly I see my sin, the more it becomes eclipsed by the beauty and glory of Christ.  The more clearly I see Christ, the uglier my sin becomes.  When we see these two extremes, we can say with the prophet, ‘Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!’ (Is 6:5). Like Peter, we find ourselves at Jesus’ knees saying, ‘Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.’ (Lk 5:8)

The more we behold the beauty of Christ and the ugliness of our sin, the more we are awakened to the deep grip of Grace.  This is the place where wonder and worship flow.  This is the place that breaks our illusions of self-justification.  This is the place where we must return again, and again, and again.

Lord, forgive how casually we see our own sin - those things which sent you to the cross.  Forgive how flippantly we view your glory and holiness.  Give us eyes to see You, for Your glory, and our good, amen.

Looking,

AB