Saturday, December 4, 2010

Dry are my old Eyes


One of my favorite songs is from the late Keith Green, My Eyes are Dry. It reminds me of the trust and faith I must have in the power of the Spirit of love our Messiah has for each and everyone of his sheep.
"My eyes are dry, my faith is old, My heart is hard, my prayers are cold, And I know how I ought to be, Alive to You and dead to me" When I look into the eyes of a child of our Almighty like Sharbat Gula, I realize anything I have felt as a trouble is insignificant, or trivial. The National Geographic Magazine went back to find Sharbat to see if this refugee had survived the forced march across the mountains into Pakistan from Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation. This woman as an orphan child with her grandmother traveled on foot to be released from an occupied country. I wonder about the women, children and families of Afghanistan who are in an American occupied country. I forget a lot about the suffering of others, the suffering of the Messiah and have self-pity during my days. Will I see my child again, will I be alone and will I ever loose this weight.
"Oh what can be done for an old heart like mine, Soften it up with oil and wine." The olive tree bears fruit that is washed, cleaned, beaten, grounded up and centrifuged a heated pulp to extract the largest and best droplets of oil. Oh, have I beaten, washed and cleaned my soul of impurities to help soften my heart. Grapes are harvested, crushed and pressed, fermented, clarified, and aged to be bottled once to provide a unique drink our Messiah used at the dedication of his remembrance supper. Oil and wine to soften my weary heart. We are purified when we obey the Truth, which enables us to grow in our spiritual habitation "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." 2 Corinthians 7:1.

Keith Green's lyrics from "My Eyes are Dry", National Geography photograph by Steve McCurry, 2008