What's blocking your vision?

Tonight a strange thing happened.

I searched for the sunset. Literally!

I checked out online what time the sun would be setting; 8:12 EST in St Petersburg, Fl.  I drove to a spot with a westerly view that overlooked Tampa Bay. I just knew I'd have a front row seat to a glorious sunset.  Most mornings, I'd be on the east side of the road watching the sun rise over the bay so I figured I'd be able see the sun set on this side. What I didn't reckon on was the Howard-Franklin bridge being in the way! I could see orange haze just beyond the bridge but nothing more. Sunset was still 10 minutes away. Maybe I could find another viewpoint further down the road. I revved up the engine and sped down the street with my neck craned to the west trying to catch sight of the fading rays of the sun. I turned down several streets that seemed promising. I even caught glimpses of the sun through trees and house tops but alas, never found a clear "window" that would allow me to see the setting sun sink below the horizon.

 Something was always in the way!

Finally, at 8:15 I begrudgingly, went home. As I drove I begin to compare my quest to see the sunset to our walk with the Lord. Is there anything blocking our view of the Lord? Sure you may know Him as Savior. You can probably rattle off the day, date and time of your conversion but when's the last time you really sought him out just to BE with HIM?!   I sought the pleasure of the sunset just to be able see it and put my day to bed. I didn't want anything from the sun. I wasn't expecting tonight's sunset to possess any miraculous power that would change my life forever. I just wanted to see the sunset. Doggone those houses, and trees and bridges!  They were blocking my view!  Now, the truth be told, If I had left my house earlier and drove further west, I could have found a great spot on the beach to watch the sunset. I'd done it before but I didn't want to drive that far today. I thought I'd be able to see it just a half mile down the road.

Have we missed having some quality time with the Lord because we didn't want to:

• Get up earlier?
• Miss a TV show?
• Cut a phone call short?

You get the idea.  Got anything you want to add to the list?  Going the extra mile (excuse the pun) would have gotten me the front row seat I was looking for and going the extra mile in your spiritual walk will yield eye opening results as well.  Spending time with God will help you to SEE HIM  first and foremost and then yourself and who you are in HIM.   Just as planet earth would become a cold and uninhabitable place without the sun, we are nothing without the Lord. He is our life and He has sovereignty over everything that happens in it. He's not the author of the bad things  that can happen to us in our lives but He certainly knows how to work it all together for our good.  Why? Because He loves us!  The Lord doesn't want anything to block the revelation of that! 

So today, give yourself a reality check and  take a hard look at whatever is blocking your vision and move it!  The Lord wants to show you something beautiful!

Can I Get An Amen?!

(c) 2011 Edwina Frazier