SERVANT’S EYES

          “I will lift up my eyes to you, to you whose throne is in the heaven.  As the eyes of slaves look to the hand of their master, as the eyes of a maid look to the hand of her mistress, so our eyes look to the Lord our God, till he shows us his mercy.”  (Psalm 123: 1&2 NIV )

          Shortly after we began our ministry in Malawi, East Africa, a happy man came to work for us.  Everyone called him Bambo (Mr.) Whiskes.  He was about my age, but before Malawi’s Independence Bambo Whiskes had worked for the Governor General of Malawi, an Englishman. 

           “We were required to shine the brass buttons on our uniforms every day,” he told me.  “When we served in the dining room, our uniforms were to be buttoned, the tassels on our hats were to hang on the correct side and our hands were to be at our sides.

           “I was to look only at the Governor General.  When he saw that someone’s glass needed to be refilled or a dish of food was running low, he didn’t ask.  We were trained to watch him so carefully that it took only a glance from him or a movement of his hand for us to understand what was needed.  We had to focus our eyes on our master and our thoughts on what he needed and wanted.”

           Bambo Whiskes’ comments made me wonder, “How closely am I paying attention to God?  Does a gentle nudge from the Holy Spirit or a suggestion to pray for someone communicate to me the need He sees or the action He requires of me?”

           “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus . . .” (Heb. 12:2 NIV) the writer to the Hebrews adjures.

           “Fix your thoughts on what is true and good and right,” (Phil. 4:8 Living Bible).  Jesus is true and good and right.  He will indicate to me His will and His desire for my participation in increasing His Kingdom.

           Persevering prayer, persistent patience and progressive practice will keep our focus on Him.  Our enemy knows it doesn’t take much to distract our inner vision from being fixed on Him.