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We can, however, even with this briefest of considerations, realize the need to pray:
"Unveil my eyes that they may behold wonderful things." We need therefore:--
(1)
The
Opened
EAR.--"To Learn."
(2)
The
Opened
BOOK.--"To Equip."
(3)
The
Opened
UNDERSTANDING.--"To Perceive."
(4)
The
Opened
EYE.--"To See, without distortion."
#5.
The Opened Mouth for Praise and Testimony.
pp. 50 - 52
The opened ear, to learn, the opened eye, to see, the opened book, to equip, are not for
personal edification merely, but lead to witness and service.
The prayer and penitence of David led him first of all to seek cleansing and
restoration, but he also realized that his own shortcomings and sins were typical of the
failure of others, with the result that the joy of salvation restored to himself quickened in
his heart the desire to tell others. Thus he says:
"Restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation; And uphold me with Thy free spirit. Then
will I teach transgressors Thy ways; And sinners shall be converted unto Thee. Deliver
me from bloodguiltiness, O God, Thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing
aloud of Thy righteousness. O Lord, open Thou my lips: and my mouth shall show forth
Thy praise" (Psa. 51: 12-15).
The opened mouth of the redeemed or restored sinner sings not of its own
righteousness, but a new song inspired by escape from the miry clay and being set upon a
rock, "even praise unto our God" (Psa. 40: 3).
But, once again, although the heart pours out its praise and thanksgiving to God alone
for His grace and love, the new song that He "puts" into our mouth, is a song not only of
praise, but of testimony, as though the greatest praise we can offer to God for His great
salvation is to find another voice to sing in concert. "Many shall see it, and fear, and
shall trust in the Lord" (Psa. 40: 3). So in Col. 3: 16, the word of Christ that richly
indwells the believer not only calls forth psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, sung with
grace unto the Lord, but at the same time teaches and admonishes.
When Paul reminded Timothy that the Lord had not given us a spirit of "cowardice"
and exhorted him not to be "ashamed" of the testimony of the Lord nor of Paul His
prisoner (II Tim. 1: 7, 8), he did not speak of that of which he himself was ignorant. He
has left it on record that when he visited the Corinthians and went contrary to their
wishes, because of his stewardship, it cost him something, for he confesses he was with
them in "fear and trembling" (I Cor. 2: 1-3; 4: 1). So also when he had received the
revelation of the mystery. He knew only too well that it was not without reason that the
Lord had associated "bonds and afflictions" with that ministry (Acts 20: 23), and while