Two kinds of eyesight . . .

In his later years, my grandfather was blind. Every now and then I try to imagine blindness, even close my eyes and attempt daily chores. Being blind requires grace even though the darkness seems to heighten other things. Touch, hearing, even imagination step up in the body’s attempt to fill in what the eyes cannot see.

Jesus gave sight to blind eyes. That requires imagination too. What would seeing be like to a person who had never experienced it? My sister had a dog named Dot, one of those little dogs with lots of hair, particularly hanging over his eyes. One day we gave him a haircut. She decided to also clip the part over his eyes. Dot reacted with a look of surprise and wonder. His fuzzy vision instantly became clear — he could see!

A Christian chorus says Jesus was ‘perfect in all of His ways’ which means He had good vision, but there are more ways to see than physical eyesight. Jesus can see what we cannot see because He is more than a mere physical person. He is the Word of God made flesh . . .

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God... and the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth. (John 1:1, 14)

Being with the God who is spirit and invisible is one thing. Being God, being divine is another. Jesus, unlike us, can see God. Is this like looking in a mirror? Or is it a special kind of vision? All we can know is what He says about this amazing ability to see, to know God, to reflect the image of God:

All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. (Matthew 11:27)

No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known. (John 1:18)

It is written in the Prophets, ‘And they will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me— not that anyone has seen the Father except he who is from God; he has seen the Father. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. (John 6:45–47)

The Father and the Son are not invisible to each other. Their relationship is intimate, so much so that Jesus could say that whoever saw Him and knew Him also sees and knows God the Father . . .

I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (John 8:18–19)

How does this happen? When I became a Christian one of my neighbors told me that salvation happens in a moment, in the blink of an eye, but then you spend the rest of your life trying to figure out what happened. He was right. I try, but I cannot fully explain how Jesus gave spiritual sight to me, not the physical sight which I already enjoyed, but eyes to see Him. This is not a physical seeing but that kind of knowing that is so real and powerful it is as if He stands before me, a smile on His face and love in His eyes.

How can seeing Him equate to seeing the Father? I’m sure there are many ways to think of this. The Bible says Jesus is the image of the Father, full of grace and truth. He makes God known because He is like Him in every way. Jesus hates sin and tossed over the money changer’s tables that were defiling the temple. Jesus loves sinners and ate with tax collectors and prostitutes who were hated by most everyone else. Jesus loves all humanity. He told us to pray for our enemies and do good to them. He showed us His love by dying on the cross for all, while we were yet sinners, even while we mocked and scorned Him.

All of this He gives to His people through the power of the Holy Spirit, putting Himself alongside our humanness and granting us the ability to choose righteousness, an ability no one has until He comes into their life. His priestly prayer included these words:

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.” (John 17:25–26)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I cannot describe how You make Yourself known to people but I do know that this knowing changes our lives. You grant us forgiveness and eternal life, but also that amazing love that You have for us so we can love others the same way. It is like sight to the blind, like light in great darkness. You are amazing and I worship You this day and always.