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Years ago my mom had a friend who was in the hospital. She had heard from a mutual friend that their friend’s health was improving, but it wasn’t enough. After church that evening, my mom said, “I need to stop by the hospital and lay eyes on her.” 

I have often pondered what my mom said that night. It wasn’t good enough for her to hear about her friend from someone else. She needed to look at her and see for herself. Recently, this expression has begun to take on a different meaning – a more personal meaning. 

The truth is, we can be fooled by someone’s words and even by their tone of voice. We have all done it. We haven’t really been feeling up to par, but didn’t want to admit it. So, we put on a fake smile and just enough pep in our voice to pass inspection. My mom knew all of the tricks. She wasn’t easily fooled. However, she knew if she could look at her friend for herself, lay eyes on her, she would know for sure how she was really doing.

My relationship with Christ is very similar. It isn’t enough for me to hear about Jesus from someone else. Not everyone teaches truth. It isn’t enough for me to simply attend church and listen to a minister or a Sunday school teacher talk about scripture. Oh sure, they can tell me how Jesus has blessed them or been faithful, but I can’t truly know Jesus without laying my own eyes on Him.

I need to lay eyes on the cross for myself. I need to see Christ’s suffering with my own eyes in order to truly understand this gift of salvation that I have been given. I need to talk to Him for myself. I need to spend time in the Word so I can hear His voice for myself.

When my eyes are on the cross, my thoughts are focused on eternity and my decisions are grounded in God’s truths. Just like my sweet momma needed to lay eyes on her friend, we must lay eyes on the cross every single day.

Have you laid eyes on the cross today?

Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  Colossians 3:2