Weekly devotion: Open the eyes of our hearts
Life Vision, Egypt
Children and their families at a Life Vision camp
Visually impaired children in Egypt experience many challenges, not least social prejudices that can lead to family neglect and community marginalisation. Sadly, these children often experience high rates of social isolation that increases their vulnerability to abuse.
In response, Life Vision is working to empower children with visual impairment in deprived villages in Upper Egypt. They do this by providing life skills education, including Braille, computing, sports, music and drama.
At the same time, Life Vision is also working to foster a safer, more welcoming and enabling community where children can develop and flourish.
Bible reading
‘They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.’
Mark 8: 22-25
Thought
Often, the Bible uses physical blindness as a picture of spiritual blindness. When God opens our eyes, we see things as they really are – God, the world, and our own hearts. Living with our spiritual eyes open helps us to be sensitive to the needs around us and discern God’s will for our lives.
In this Bible story in Mark 8, it is also helpful to consider the peripheral characters – the people who brought the blind man to Jesus and begged him to heal him. We’re not given details about these people, but one thing is certain: without them, this man would never have found Jesus and he would never have received his sight.
The staff at Life Vision are a beautiful picture of these unknown characters. In their own context, they are restoring hope among children and families impacted by disability.
Ask yourself: Reflect on what it means to ask God to open the eyes of your heart. What impact would this make on people around you?
Prayer
Father God,
We commit to you the work of Life Vision. May their light continue to shine brightly in the darkness and may you bless their work as they seek to empower children and transform communities.
We pray for the children with visual impairments, many of whom have lived isolated lives without access to opportunities. We pray that they would thrive as a result of the education and care Life Vision provides. We also pray for their families - that they would be safe and loving spaces for these precious children.
Open our spiritual eyes so that we might be sensitive to the needs around us, whether locally or globally. Help us to be faithful in praying for people whose lives are impacted by poverty or injustice - and show us how we can be your hands and feet in difficult situations.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Stories from Egypt
Meet some of the people whose lives have been impacted by the projects you help support in Egypt:
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