Heart Eyes

“I didn’t know that my heart has eyes,” said the hater smugly. He didn’t like the song Open the Eyes of My Heart and vented his frustration thusly. While the wise man can play the part of the fool, I don’t think that was his role. I believe Ignorant was the character upon the stage. For, had he never read, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened (Ephesians 1:18)?

Yes indeed, your heart has eyes. Your head does too (well, if you’re wise it does, says the wise man — Ecclesiastes 2:14). These biblical inner optics are rather different than the pagan’s idea of the third eye—they are the truth at which the ignoble perversion grasps. After all, was it not for its ability to make one wise that Eve ate the fruit? And was it not because their eyes were opened that Adam and Eve fled from the presence of the Maker? This was an enlightenment which plunged the whole human race into death and pulled down the fabric of the universe with it. So get as woke as you like about how messed up this world and the people in it are (except you, of course)—it will solve nothing, and you will remain a fallen realm on legs, a very world of living ruin.

The Ephesians had their fair share of these magic third eye openings prior to faith (Acts 19:19). Now they needed their understandings opened. Why? Not only to grasp the concepts of God’s cosmic grace, but to handle the realities themselves. This heart work must happen before we are able to experience God’s truth—and that is the experience that counts.

Heart’s eyes means that we are in the realm of experience, of affections and desires. Yes, we must become heart-eyed emojis for God’s grace in Christ, filled with faith, hope, and love, or we have failed to taste and see that he is good. The cold-hearted psychonautical mountings of the heathen’s third eye openings feel significant, but they feel and know nothing of God’s power and amazing love for sinners.

For this reason you must pray the prayer of the psalmist every time you open God’s word: “Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.” (Psalm 119:18). The old Grinch’s heart grew three times in size; may the eyes of your heart outdo the corrupted Who. Pro-tip: The wondrous things to see are the Lord Jesus Christ in all his saving splendor!