Reminders From The Optometrist
A couple of weeks ago, I had an appointment with the optometrist.
When I was in first grade, I had to get glasses. I was farsighted. I’m not an eye doctor, but I apparently needed glasses to correct my vision. Believe it or not, I was able to abandon the glasses around sixth or seventh grade when eye tests showed that my vision had corrected. Amazing! Eye tests in high school and college actually showed that I had better than 20/20 vision.
Here’s a picture of me in third grade sporting my Bob Griese brown plastic framed glasses.
After an initial eye exam sixteen or seventeen years ago when my wife and I got married, I went many years without a return visit to the optometrist. That changed last year when I started dealing with migraine headaches. Someone suggested that I visit the eye doctor. My vision was still pretty good, but I had apparently reached the age in which reading glasses would be helpful. (If you’re not 40 yet, just wait.)
My visit to the optometrist a couple of weeks ago confirmed that my eyes were continuing to change ever so slightly and a new prescription would be helpful for reading and computer use. So my vision is apparently getting worse. And I would suspect that this will continue for the rest of my physical life.
As I was thinking about how our bodies breakdown and wear out as we age, I was reminded of these words from the apostle Paul:
But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7
The note in my bible says, “It was customary to conceal treasure in clay jars, which had little value or beauty and did not attract attention to themselves and their precious contents. Here they represent Paul’s human frailty and unworthiness.”
There’s no question that our bodies are frail (see my post from a few weeks ago about a visit with my Grandma). I’m sure it’s not just my eye sight that is beginning to break down. We’re not getting any younger. Right?
The beautiful thing is that this verse reminds us that despite our human frailty, we have access to unending power and strength. God’s grace is sufficient for each one of us.
So I’m hoping my new glasses will be a reminder to depend on God. He’s all I need.
God, thank you for this new day. Give me your vision. Thank you for supplying all my needs, and thanks for the reminder through a simple visit to the eye doctor. Today, I ask that you’d be with those who need eye care but don’t have it. Use your followers to help those around the world in meeting this physical need. More importantly, open my eyes to those around me who need Your vision. Use me to point them to You – the ultimate optometrist.
Do you wear glasses or contact lenses? What physical aging sign are you experiencing that can point you to God?