Thursday October 27, 2022

Today is Thursday, October 27 and we are learning what Jesus says about treasure.

I enter this time of prayer seeking to still the chaos of the world and silence the noise of my mind. I center myself upon the One true God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Pause and Pray

Lord Jesus, I want to learn the definition of true treasure. Teach me what it means to live the kingdom life with You as my personal instructor and the Holy Spirit as my guide. Wherever You lead, I will follow. Amen.

I rejoice in God’s goodness and righteousness and praise Him with the words of Psalm 101.

I will sing of your love and justice; to you, Lord, I will sing praise. I will be careful to lead a blameless life— when will you come to me? I will conduct the affairs of my house with a blameless heart. Psalm 101:1-2

Pause and Pray

The eye is said to be the window to the soul. People sometimes reveal their true intentions through their eyes – jealousy, prejudice, anger, resentment, greed, lust. These are like scales that creep over the eye of the soul and distort the vision. The eye of the soul should have a singular motivation – to love God and love others. An eye that is singular is said to be complete, perfect and of undivided loyalty and total devotion to God. A healthy eye will guide the body to find its way and lead a purposeful life directed toward the best priority of laying up treasure in heaven.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:21-23

John Wesley encouraged Christians to have a singular eye. The eye of the soul is single when it looks at one thing only – to know God and Jesus Christ whom he sent. To love God with all the heart, mind, soul and strength. To know God, please Him, serve Him, and enjoy Him above all things. If my eye is fixed on God, says Wesley, then my whole body will be guided to do good. My desires, emotions, affections, thoughts, words and actions are influenced by my underlying intentions – the eye of my soul. If my eye is healthy, my whole body will be full of light. I will be filled with divine knowledge, holiness and joy. *

Ask: Is my eye, the lamp of my body, healthy or unhealthy? Is my whole body full of the light of Christ or do places of darkness remain?

Pause and Pray

Blessed Lord Jesus, reveal my heart and also my treasure. You see my eye, the lamp of my body. Peer into my eye and examine its soundness. Determine where I need the healing grace of Your Holy Spirit. I long for Your light to shine on me, the light of the world, the light that shines in the darkness, the light of truth, the sun of righteousness, the lamp of holiness – come, illuminate my darkness. I read Matthew again, listening for the message You have for me today.

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Matthew 6:21-23

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Pause and Pray

God is speaking to me today about the state of my soul, the lamp of my body, an indication of my spiritual health. I ponder the words that stand out to me – do they provide a diagnosis? Perhaps these are leading indicators or vital signs of my spiritual well being – words like healthy or unhealthy, light or darkness. Maybe my eyes are covered by scales and I do not even recognize my own blind spots. How might God want to restore or improve the vision of my heart? Do I want to see?

Pause and Pray

Come, Lord Jesus, You who opened the eyes of the blind, heal the lamp of my body and let me see. Reveal the places in me that need your healing touch. Bind up my brokenness, restore my weakness, mend my wounds, alleviate my pain and comfort my grief. By Your wounds, I am healed and the eye of my soul becomes singular and focused.
Amen.

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19a

*Resources: Sermons on Several Occasions, Volume II – Upon Our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, by John Wesley, edited by William J. Abraham, 2021.

As I leave this time of prayer, I go with a singular vision: to love the Lord my God with all my heart, all my soul, all my mind and all my strength and to love my neighbor as myself.

Amen