It’s been a long time since I have had 20/20 vision without the aid of eyeglasses. Without my glasses things get pretty fuzzy pretty fast . . . don’t have to look very far before I can’t see very much. So, for now, I have these spectacles set upon my nose to help me see beyond my nose. But even with them, sometimes things are fuzzy . . . I have to tilt my head up and down in order to look through the right part of my lenses in order to improve the focus. Not complaining . . . with these glasses I see pretty well . . . my failing eyes have all the help they need to see almost perfectly. But as I read the “love chapter” this morning I’m reminded that my spiritual eyes are so far short of 20/20 . . . but that there is coming a day when I will have perfect vision.

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. (1Corinthians 13:12 ESV)

Spiritual eyes work different than my physical eyes. As time has gone by, my physical eyes have deteriorated. I didn’t always need glasses . . . I didn’t always need such powerful glasses. What started out as “for reading only” is now from the time I get up to the time I go to sleep. I know I’m getting older . . . my dimming eyes remind me of that.

Not so with my spiritual eyes. They are getting better . . . by God’s grace. In fact, I’m reminded that I started out blind . . . absolutely insensitive to the things of the kingdom’s light . . . no operational sensors functioning to detect the things “not of this world.” I once was blind . . . but now I see . . . by God’s amazing grace. Didn’t see very much or very clearly at first. Took a while for “my eyes” to adjust. But adjust they did . . . by God’s grace. I started seeing things by faith that I had never seen before. I started recognizing truths from the word of God that I had never recognized before. I started to gain focus on a far away land . . . on a home being prepared for me . . . on a Savior waiting for me. And as I saw more, I wanted to see more. And over time, my spiritual vision has improved . . . through the Word of God . . . by the Spirit of God . . . all because of the grace of God. I see much better now than when I first believed.

But even at that . . . I’m reminded that I “see in a mirror dimly” compared to a future day. The mirrors in New Testament times were made of polished metal . . . good enough to see in . . . not good enough to see really clearly in. And lest I become puffed up concerning how well I think “I see” (did I mention that it’s all by the grace of God?), the reality is that my spiritual vision is so far from being 20/20. No sitting back and thinking that I see well enough. I know that though some things are very clear others are still “dimly” . . . obscure . . . an enigma . . . still mostly a mystery . . . I catch glimpses but have yet to fully behold. Yeah, I see much better now than when I first believed . . . but there is still so much more to take in . . . and take in clearly.

But then . . . face to face! What a glorious phrase! What a joy evoking thought! What a praiseworthy motto! But then, face to face.

There is coming a day when I will have perfect spiritual vision. A day when “I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known”. The things of earth will completely fade away and the glories of the kingdom will come into clear focus. The landscape . . . strike that . . . the heaven-scape, which would overload my physical optic nerve, will be fully taken in and processed by my “face to face” eyes. Things which are today “of faith” will then be “of sight.” Things which are brain-teasers today with then be solved puzzles. Partial knowledge will give way to fully knowing.

Oh, but the best part of having fully functioning eyes in that day will be to behold Jesus. To see Him face to face . . . and then go face to ground in awe and wonder and gratitude and worship. What will it be like to have perfect vision? I can only imagine . . . and I cant’ wait!

“Face to face with Christ, my Savior; Face to face–what will it be? When with rapture I behold Him, Jesus Christ who died for me. Only faintly now, I see Him; With the darkling veil between. But a blessed day is coming, When His glory shall be seen. What rejoicing in His presence, When are banished grief and pain; When the crooked ways are straightened, And the dark things shall be plain. Face to face! O blissful moment! Face to face — to see and know; Face to face with my Redeemer, Jesus Christ who loves me so. Face to face I shall behold Him, Far beyond the starry sky; Face to face in all His glory, I shall see Him by and by!” (Mrs. Frank A. Breck, 1855-1934)