Ephesians 1:18
The blows seemed to come from everywhere, and Chloe tried to wrap his arms around his head to protect himself. Although he didn’t know how many attackers there were, he felt the sharp thud of each blow as he lost consciousness. His attackers shouted at him, mocking his faith and his Jesus. Chloe prayed, silently crying out to God to give him strength.
Each week, Chloe walks more than twenty miles in his native Ivory Coast to preach in a village called Sepikaha. A small group of Christians welcomes Chloe, but the vast majority of the village is Muslim. Those that were radical, militant Muslims were the ones who were beating the preacher.
Chloe was taken to a hospital where his many wounds were treated. When police asked Chloe who had beaten him, he said he didn’t know. Chloe has been blind for many years.
The week after he was released from the hospital, Chloe was back in Sepikaha, risking his life to preach to people that he could not see. His eyes were blind, but Chloe’s heart could see clearly. It saw a need for Jesus in the small village, and it saw young Christians hungry to grow in their faith. He returns, week after week, to Sepikaha. The faces that he cannot see now, he will see one day in heaven.
It doesn’t take x-ray vision to see into the heart of a woman or man who is spiritually lost. Years of bad decisions are often in full view—etched across their tired faces. Spiritual vision means using the “eyes” of our hearts to notice others’ needs. That’s all. The power to notice is the first step toward making a difference. What do you see when you look into the faces of the people around you? Or do you even look? In today’s culture, it is possible to be surrounded by a crowd in an elevator, airport, or shopping mall and never meet eyes with another human being. Do you see people who need to know Christ? Are your spiritual eyes trained to notice those in need around you? Ask God to help you develop the spiritual vision to take note and take action.
Readings taken from
Extreme Devotion: The Voice of the Martyrs
The blows seemed to come from everywhere, and Chloe tried to wrap his arms around his head to protect himself. Although he didn’t know how many attackers there were, he felt the sharp thud of each blow as he lost consciousness. His attackers shouted at him, mocking his faith and his Jesus. Chloe prayed, silently crying out to God to give him strength.
Each week, Chloe walks more than twenty miles in his native Ivory Coast to preach in a village called Sepikaha. A small group of Christians welcomes Chloe, but the vast majority of the village is Muslim. Those that were radical, militant Muslims were the ones who were beating the preacher.
Chloe was taken to a hospital where his many wounds were treated. When police asked Chloe who had beaten him, he said he didn’t know. Chloe has been blind for many years.
The week after he was released from the hospital, Chloe was back in Sepikaha, risking his life to preach to people that he could not see. His eyes were blind, but Chloe’s heart could see clearly. It saw a need for Jesus in the small village, and it saw young Christians hungry to grow in their faith. He returns, week after week, to Sepikaha. The faces that he cannot see now, he will see one day in heaven.
It doesn’t take x-ray vision to see into the heart of a woman or man who is spiritually lost. Years of bad decisions are often in full view—etched across their tired faces. Spiritual vision means using the “eyes” of our hearts to notice others’ needs. That’s all. The power to notice is the first step toward making a difference. What do you see when you look into the faces of the people around you? Or do you even look? In today’s culture, it is possible to be surrounded by a crowd in an elevator, airport, or shopping mall and never meet eyes with another human being. Do you see people who need to know Christ? Are your spiritual eyes trained to notice those in need around you? Ask God to help you develop the spiritual vision to take note and take action.
Readings taken from
Extreme Devotion: The Voice of the Martyrs
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