Open My Eyes Lord

Mark 4:24-25 ESV

“And he said to them, ‘Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.’”

I have heard this scripture misused many times in sermons, but it is imperative to keep Mark 4:24–25 in context of the whole chapter. Jesus is talking about different reactions people have when they hear His teachings. The “more” that will be added isn’t power, influence, or material possessions, it’s spiritual wisdom. Jesus is saying that if we approach His teachings, being open and receptive and we desire more we will receive more understanding and become more enlightened of all that He desires for us to know.

To take the teachings of Jesus and immerse ourselves into His teachings, He will provide us with greater wisdom to understand and digest His teachings. For us to hear and only retain portions of what He taught means that we will not be full or complete or abounding in wisdom of His words and His ways.

A crude example: In high school I took two years of Spanish. I did not apply the Spanish words or phrases to my everyday life, and I did not study them to immerse myself in the Spanish language. What I retained of those two years is basic pleasantries only, I cannot carry on a conversation in Spanish, and I certainly do not understand what people are saying when they speak Spanish. You could say that I wasted two years of taking Spanish.

When I hear and read Jesus’s teachings, I’m intrigued at every teaching, I want to know more, I want to understand better, I want to make those teachings part of my life.

Prayer:

Open my eyes Lord to Your truths, and Your teachings. Give me knowledge to comprehend, understanding of the meaning of every teaching, and the wisdom to be able to apply every word, phrase and teaching into my life. In Your name I ask, Amen!