“the eyes of your understanding (heart) being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints…” Ephesians 1:18-19. This comes either as a part of the Apostles prayer beginning in verse 16, or I think very likely as a statement, “now that the eyes of your understanding have been enlightened.” The eyes of your understanding or heart is your inner being or your spirit man. Just as the Holy Spirit brought light in the original creation of Genesis 1:3, so He does in the “new creation” 2 Corinthians 5:17, of those who have been “born again”, John 3:3. “For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” 2 Corinthians 4:6. So it is living, walking, and increasing in this illumination, being “filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding” Colossians 1:9. And 2 Peter 3:18 says, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” It has been said “What the eye is to the body the understanding is to the soul”. Without light the eye cannot discern anything, neither can the soul discern the spiritual, the eternal things of God without the enlightenment of the Holy Spirit. Proverbs 4:18 says, “the path of the just (this could be translated righteous) is like the shining sun, that shines ever brighter unto the perfect day.” He desires that we increase in the knowledge of the hope unto which He has called us, and the rich and glorious inheritance He has provided for us, and by the way, don’t forget that He has a stake in all this too because we are His inheritance (see Deuteronomy 32:9). Choose to receive and walk in His light. Please compare Jesus words in John 11:9-10, and Matthew 6:22-23.
The illuminated way
By Rose Hill
The path of the righteous is illuminate and bright,
As they are striving to do what is right.
Brighter and clearer their pathway will shine,
‘Till it reaches its full glory at resurrection time.
Scripture quotations are from the New King James version copyright …1982 by Thomas Nelson Co. used by permission.