Opening Our Eyes, Learning to Respond

God opens our eyes in love — and invites us to step into the light we are given.

Bible Readings

• Psalm 119:18
• Luke 19:41–44
• Acts 16:14
• 1 Timothy 2:4
• John 3:16, 5:40, 6:44, 6:65, 12:36, 12:40

Reflection

Scripture often speaks of God as the One who opens our eyes. We do not discover truth simply by effort or intelligence alone. Light is given. Understanding is awakened. Hearts are gently stirred toward what is real and life-giving. The psalmist prays, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law,” recognising that sight itself is a gift.

Yet the Bible also speaks with equal clarity about our response. Again and again, people are invited to listen, to turn, to receive, to believe, and to walk in the light they are given. When Jesus stood over Jerusalem, He wept — not because God was unwilling to save, but because many would not recognise the moment of grace before them. Love had come near, yet hearts remained closed.

This reveals something important about the character of God. He is not distant or withholding. He is a Father who longs to draw people into life and truth. Scripture tells us that God desires all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. His heart moves towards restoration, not exclusion. Light is offered freely, not guarded jealously.

At the same time, grace does not override relationship. God opens eyes — but He does not force love. He awakens hearts — but He honours the dignity of response. When Lydia heard the message of Christ, the Lord opened her heart to receive what was being spoken. Divine initiative and human response met together in a beautiful moment of faith.

We see this same tension held by Jesus Himself. In John’s Gospel, He speaks of people needing their eyes opened, yet He also calls them to believe, to follow, and to respond. At times He acknowledges that understanding is given by the Father; at other moments He grieves that people will not come to Him for life. Jesus does not attempt to resolve this tension with explanation. He lives within it — revealing truth in love, inviting response, and allowing both to coexist without force or contradiction.

Sometimes, God opening our eyes looks less like a blinding vision and more like a quiet realisation during a daily commute. It may arrive as the sudden urge to forgive a resentment we’ve been holding onto, or the unexpected clarity that we were wrong in yesterday’s argument. In those moments, the light has quietly arrived. Our task is simply to stop resisting and step towards it.

I recognise this dynamic in my own story. I grew up in a Christian home, attending Sunday school and church, and I must have heard the gospel message many times. Yet it wasn’t until a friend invited me to an Elim church, where the speaker spoke about God’s love, that the truth finally connected. In that moment, what I had long heard became real. The light dawned — not because God had suddenly arrived, but because I was finally able to see.

This dynamic continues in our own lives. God gently reveals Himself through Scripture, through prayer, through the quiet prompting of His Spirit, and through the witness of others. But revelation invites participation. We are called to remain open, responsive, and willing to step into the light we are shown. Faith grows not through passivity, but through attentiveness and trust.

This is deeply hopeful. It means we are not left in darkness by a distant God. It also means our daily choices matter — how we listen, how we respond, how we nurture openness toward God’s voice. Grace leads. Love invites. We learn to walk in the light together with Him.

Pause and Consider

• Where have I noticed God gently drawing my attention or understanding recently?
• Am I making space to respond to what He is showing me, or quietly resisting it?
• What might it look like to remain more open and attentive to God’s light this week?

Prayer

Gracious God,

Thank You that You are a God who opens eyes and awakens hearts in love. Help me to remain responsive to Your voice and willing to walk in the light You give. Shape my heart with humility, trust, and attentiveness, that I may grow in truth and grace with You.

Amen.