Becoming Blind in order to See

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting."  God's presence penetrated this place and pervaded the position with His power and purity.  Peter lifted up his voice and recalled the prophecy of Joel, "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"  As a young man, I was curious as to the meaning of "visions."  So I looked it up and found that it means "the act of gazing...an inspired appearance." 

I want to see God.  Not just a momentary glimpse or brief sighting but a prolonged exposure, a continual feasting.  The problem comes when I go looking for Him.  When I read His word, I glance at His presence instead of gazing into His face.  Somehow, I expect to discover the depths of His character without sacrificing the minimal effort needed to gaze upon Him.  When you stare at someone or something, you notice details and qualities that you never saw before.  If I truly desire to see God and learn more about Him, then I will gaze into His face.

When you stare into a light source, the results can often be damaging, often causing total blindness.  Because Jesus is the Light of the World, staring into the brightness of His face results in a blindness to the world and the distractions therein.  As we begin to overlook the temporal and earthly things because of our blind condition, we will begin to catch a glimpse of God's marvelous plan and our eyes will be opened in a new way.

Gaze.  Don't Glance.  Become blind and begin to see.