The Wonder of Sight

In my youth I enjoyed collecting the once numerous butterflies and moths to paint or model their beauty. Warming Spring brings Small Tortoiseshells or Brimstones, transformed from caterpillars into the delicate butterflies we enjoy – their four wings, some camouflaged underneath to hide when closed, with colourful upper surfaces that catch the light.

Other creatures enjoy their world. Cows can jump for joy going into the first fresh pasture of Spring. Lambs gambol and dolphins ride bow waves. But do they enjoy the beauty of what they see: the rainbow colours, the blue haze of bluebells in the Spring sunshine, Autumn colours of mixed woodland, or a butterfly? We can! So we sing ‘All things bright and beautiful ...’, or ‘For the beauty of the earth ...’ With the Creator’s spark, we have eyes to see and enjoy all this beauty and avoid danger, provided our eyes are open.

Light travels through the protective cornea, then the light limiting iris. Next, the lens focuses the light to the retina at the back of the eye, with its millions of photoreceptors sending signals through the optic nerve to create the picture in our brains. Both eyes together create 3D vision. Isn’t our Creator wonderful?

Some people are without sight from birth, or go blind though accident or disease and need heightened senses or aids. We are fortunate that glasses and other interventions correct many defects. Other countries need charities like ‘Sightsavers’ to bring relief. Do we appreciate the sight that we do have and thank God?

We cannot look on God; though the prophets ‘saw’ God through visions:- Isaiah Ch6, Jeremiah Ch1, Ezekiel Chs1 &37, Daniel Ch7v9. But we CAN ‘see God’ by looking to Jesus: ‘The Son is the image of the invisible God’ ColCh1v15 and, ‘The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being’ HebCh1v3.

Some sayings and quotes about seeing:-

“Oh, I see”. Understanding – Insight/wisdom/faith. Jesus explained the parables for the disciples and for our understanding.

“There’s none so blind as those who won’t see”. Jesus’ manifesto in Luke Ch4v8 from Isaiah’s Messianic prophesy (Is Ch61) included ‘giving sight to the blind’ - fulfilled by giving sight to a man blind from birth. Despite miracles, the Pharisees wouldn’t accept that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah.

Thank God for our eyesight, and pray for more insight, wisdom and faith.

Keith Johnson