In anticipation of 2020, there was a battle cry at many new year’s celebrations: VISION. Not only was it a new year, it was a new decade! Everyone had a good feeling about it.
For me, the year started out great. Some new opportunities were opening up. My nephews’ basketball team won the state championship in their division. One nephew was making plans for graduation along with all of the senior activities around it. My husband and I would be celebrating our 20th wedding anniversary and had also booked a long-awaited trip to the Holy Land. The year of VISION was looking good.
Until it didn’t.
By mid-March, the world was understanding more about a virus that was quickly spreading. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing on the news … universities were canceling classes, professional sports leagues suspended their season, travel was limited … what was happening?
Life around us felt like a movie. Then, it started getting personal.
One by one, our plans were getting canceled. No more driving into work or going to school. Working from home and virtual classrooms were now the new normal.
No Israel trip. No big anniversary celebration. No graduation or prom for my nephews. Add the racial and political tensions to the mix and it just didn’t seem like this year could get any worse.
Until it did.
In mid-summer, my nephew tested positive for COVID. Then, the following month, my mom had a health scare. (By God’s grace, both are doing well now.)
What a year it has been so far. The year of vision appeared to be a blurry mess.
In Acts, we read the story of a young Pharisee named Saul. He was a devout Jew with his own crystal clear vision to punish anyone who proclaimed Jesus as the Messiah. In a surprising turn of events, a voice from heaven confronted Saul while he was traveling to Damascus. A light flashed around him, and he fell to the ground. Then, “when he opened his eyes he could see nothing.” (Acts 9:8 NIV)
For three days, Saul was blind. During that time, there was no record that he heard from God again either. A divinely appointed visit from Ananais changed that. “…Placing his hands on Saul, he said, ‘Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.’ Immediately, something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized,” (Acts 9:17-18 NIV)
Not only was Saul’s physical sight restored, his spiritual eyes were opened too. What happened in the natural was a reflection of what was happening in the spiritual. This man named Saul, who persecuted the church, would soon be identified as Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ.
Sometimes, we think we can see but are actually blind.
Maybe you can relate to my stories from the past several months. The year of 2020 has blindsighted many of us in more ways than we can count. Could it be, in these unprecedented times, that God is also removing the scales from our eyes?
For me, my priorities have been revealed. Who were the people I stayed connected to during this time? What did I miss doing? What did I not miss doing?
Also, my faith was now exposed. Was my trust in God as strong as I thought it was? Did I wander in worry when I should have walked in holy confidence?
Maybe this hasn’t been the year we pictured it would be. Perhaps, all the things we thought we would accomplish will have to wait until later. Here is something I do know: just because our plans have shifted does not mean God’s plans have. He knew what this year would hold and thankfully, He holds us in His hands.
This can still be the year of vision, one that brings to light how blind we actually are. This could also be the year the scales fall off our eyes, and we see clearer than we ever did before.
~ Anu
Photo by David Travis on Unsplash
