We often fished in ponds and creeks. The fish were catfish, bream, sunfish, bass, perch, and an occasional crappie. Since all of these fish had scales, except catfish, we primarily caught fish that indeed had scales. Growing up in the Southern United States, the long hot days of summer provided ample opportunity for us kids to dip our hooks in some water. We fished with grub worms, red worms, crickets, grass hoppers, fish we’d caught that was too small to eat, and anything else we thought a fish might eat. Hours and days were spent passing the time trying our luck at catching the next big one.
Not having a lot of cash as kids to purchase a lot of fishing equipment, many times our fishing poles were good ole cane poles. You know, the long dried out stick where you hold one end while strategically trying to place the other end containing the hook in a ‘fish catching’ location. As you place the hook in a ‘fish catching’ location, extra care has to be taken not to snag the hook on weeds, grass, or trees growing at the edge of the water.
A cane pole doesn’t have the casting ability a rod and reel does. As a result, most of our fishing was done close to the bank. It seemed close to the bank was the perfect place for catching the smallest fish in the pond, or perhaps our fishing skills needed tuning. Catching the small fish kept us busy, always wishing the ‘next one’ was going to be a trophy catch. However, I don't recall that day ever happening. The only trophies we got were memories of spending lazy summer days with friends. Ah, if we could only go back.
I don’t remember cleaning many fish. Probably because there weren’t many big enough to clean, or perhaps it was the boys job to clean the fish. As an adult, I do remember cleaning fish with my children. One thing I remember from the years as a child fishing, and the years as an adult cleaning fish with my children, were the endless amount of scales. It seemed scales counted into the hundreds of thousands on each and every fish.
I know what fish scales look and feel like, from childhood and adult experiences. They feel soft as you run your fingers along the side of a fish, but they are very durable and rugged. Taken off the fish and allowed to dry they almost feel like armor. They serve as a protective coating for fish.
Fish scales came to my mind a while back, as I remembered a verse in Acts 9:18. I remembered how something similar to scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. (Acts 9:18 NIV, Immediately something like scales fell from Saul’s eyes, and he could see again. He got up and was baptized.) Sometimes I’ll read a Bible verse, hear a sermon, read a book, or maybe hear a song. There will be something I see or hear, and it will be an ah-ha moment. If it happens to be a verse, it’s been around a couple thousand years, but it’s like I understand it for the first time. If it happens to be a sermon it’ll be a truth studied for a couple thousand years, but all of a sudden it’s like ‘I get it’. If it happens to be a book, there’s new revelation in the truth I read. If it happens to be a song, the words sung will shed light on something I didn’t know. Anyone of these occurring makes me feel “I finally get it”!! There are many ways the ah-ha moments show up. When it occurs I’m amazed at how blind I feel.
Not only was Saul physically blind, but he was spiritually blind. Once the ‘scales’ fell from Saul, he gained both physical sight and spiritual sight. I feel sometimes there are too many scales on my eyes. Each time scales fall from my eyes, and new knowledge is learned, I thank God. He is gracious in showing us more. God’s truths have been around forever. The Word has been studied and examined by scholars, clergy, theologians, Sunday School teachers, and others with various levels of knowledge, degrees and accomplishments. Even so, understanding the truths of the Ancient Words are revealed by the Holy Spirit. I’ve read that some of the greatest revivals in the world were led by men with little more than an elementary school education. The men were led and directed by the Holy Spirit. It wasn’t their formal education that inspired and equipped them to proclaim the Word in such a powerful way. It was the moving of the Holy Spirit.
It is the Holy Spirit that shows up and gives us ah-ha moments. It’s my desire to have more ah-ha moments. I want to know and learn more. God pursues us and wants a deep relationship with us, but we are required to do our part. God doesn’t pour out understanding, enlightenment and knowledge to random people. The following verses show ah-ha moments occur by us doing our part:
*1 Chronicles 28:9 “If you seek Him, he will be found by you”.
*Deuteronomy 4:29 “But if from there you seek the Lord your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all you soul.
*Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.”
*Jeremiah 29:12-13 “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
If - I - Seek - Him - He - Will - Be - Found.
An old hymn came to mind as I was writing this. It’s probably in every hymnal I’ve ever sang from. It's the words of the song that speak to my heart. The writer asks God to open her eyes, open her ears, and then open her mouth while she waits silently to be illumined by the divine Spirit. Wouldn’t that be a great prayer, and daily desire?
Open My Eyes, That I May See
Text: Clara H. Scott, 1841-1897
Music: Clara H. Scott, 1841-1897
1. Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
2. Open my ears, that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear;
and while the wavenotes fall on my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
3. Open my mouth, and let me bear
gladly the warm truth everywhere;
open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!
To read more about ‘Open My Eyes, That I May See’ hymn, a history of the hymn can be read by going to this link.
https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-open-my-eyes-that-i-may-see
