SAVIOR!

...for “Whoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13

I put my contacts in for the first time in almost a week. And sure enough, within minutes my eyes looked like I had been crying for hours or running on no sleep again. Burning and red, as soon as I returned home I sadly ripped out my contacts and put back on my glasses. Because without them, the truth is I can barely see. 

It looked like I might be wearing my pretty little glasses for an undisclosed amount of time. 

It is funny that the thought had me annoyed today, and yet I can remember a day only years ago when I had longed to wear glasses. I used to make up not being able to see just because I felt left out that I did not need them. I even had one of those fake pairs I put on to pretend while I played school with my friends. 

Then one day, my senior year in high school, I could no longer see the white board in chemistry. And when I had my annual eye exam, I did not pass. I needed glasses. And a few sloppy attempts to put in contacts later, I was a pro at all things eye care. I have definitely become dependent on all four of my eyes whether that be in contact or glass form. 

But today, when I got to put back in my contacts even for a brief second, I felt free again. Not that glasses are awful, it is just that they require a conscious effort. They are constantly, and obviously, right there on my face. Not to mention that every time I go outside I have to switch to my prescription sunglasses. But if I want to see, glasses or contacts, become a necessary. My eyes alone cannot do the job! 

Today at mass we prayed, "Lord, come and save us." And I guess that is kind of what my glasses are for my eyes, a savior for a human who alone is inadequate. I think it is easy to assume, or wish, or hope that one day, or maybe today, we can just do it on our own. But we are merely human, and we alone do not stand a chance. We need to be saved.

What is weighing on your heart? What battle are you fighting? What do you hope for or who do you long to be? Do you think that dream, or challenge, or journey is possible with just your human abilities? Do you know why Christ sent us His son? Jesus came so that we would not have to walk this journey alone. He came so that we would not just see with our human eyes, but with the eyes of Christ. 

Sometimes when I go to the eye doctor I memorize the chart just because I am embarrassed that I cannot see the letters. But when it comes down to facts, my eyes just do not see that far. And that is ok because we have things like glasses and contacts, or even laser eye surgery, to fix that. Do not pretend like you know exactly what you are doing or act like you know exactly how everything is going to all work out. Be willing to admit you need a Savior. We all do! There is no time better than Christmas to recognize that. Maybe instead of being too proud to seek out the help we can focus on being thankful we have  a God who not only wants to open our eyes to see but our ears to hear and our hearts to love too! 

I guess it bothers me that I have to wear my glasses because it is quite obviously saying, my eyes need them. And maybe sometimes we do that with God. It is easy to recognize our need for a Savior, when we get to where the contacts and still look exactly like everyone else. But sometimes the problem is bigger or the need is greater and sometimes, we just have to wear the glasses and say, "I am human and I cannot do it alone."

 The crazy thing is, as soon as I started wearing my glasses on a more regular basis, everyone noticed them and complemented me! And I started to recognize more often, the glasses other people were wearing just because I was more conscious  of my own. More people need the help seeing than I ever noticed before. There's no need to pretend, if we need help we would be silly not to do what we new to get it! 

The truth is we all need God. But only those who ask for His help will know it! 

God made us human. He has seen us fail time and time again. And He wants to save us. But, He cannot do that until we are willing to recognize we need Him, and put on the glasses!