I recently observed two people carrying on a conversation through a plexiglass window at a bank. Granted, each had on a mask so it was not easy to understand what was being said. I realize in this era of masks how often I actually do aid my hearing by watching the other person’s lips so it was understandable that they were having difficulty. In this case, I was able to understand each person’s comments and could tell that they were not hearing each other since their comments were not responsive to the other person’s comments or questions. They were talking past each other and not able to hear what was being said even though only a small distance separated them.

The scene reminded me how often we cannot hear or see what is right in front of us. Although the plexiglass divider creates an impediment to full access, nevertheless, we can still see through it. We just have to be more sensitive, more deliberate and persevere in our intent to see and hear what is seemingly beyond our capabilities.

Sometimes even when we deliberately try to carefully take in a scene, as I am now looking at the beautiful seascape outside my window, we are unable to see every detail. Yet, the more we make the effort, the more we will see. Just as I intentionally strive to see more in my surroundings, so too, we will be more aware of the unseen forces around us if we believe there is more out there than what we tend to notice.

So many times HaShem’s miracles are unfolding right before our eyes and ears, and yet, we don’t see or hear them. Do I see the butterfly as dead on the road, as I mentioned a couple weeks ago, or hear in my soul the beauty of a life beyond the one we know? When I look out my window, do I see the messy phone lines, hear the noisy lobster trucks, or do I see the breathtaking vastness of the ocean, hear the unique sound of the osprey?

The divider between us and our Abba is as the plexiglass, a transparent, temporary separator which is actually designed to encourage communication during certain times as now. All is seeable and hearable through it even though we are not yet in Olam Ha-Ba. We just have to work to access what we have been given. Our Messiah Yeshua is as the larger area around the divider who by His mere presence in our lives sees, hears, knows every cell of our being, bringing us to Him if we seek to know Him.

Just as the plexiglass divider, the Pharisees looked right at Yeshua, yet were unable to see Him. They saw his miracles, and yet, couldn’t see the deeper truths. I, too, was blind as were the Pharisees. Today marks the 20th anniversary of my recognizing Yeshua as our promised Messiah. Yet as a mainstream Jew, and congregational leader in my synagogue, I was blind to this truth for most of my adult life. In the year and a half (!) before I finally understood the truth of Messiah Yeshua, HaShem kept sending me sign after sign. Yet I was blind and deaf to all of them and only realized what they meant after the fact. Only after Yeshua changed my heart were my eyes and ears able to see and hear the truth about our Messiah.

I have always felt it was not mere coincidence that I came to know Him two days before 9/11. It felt as if we would be entering a time when He would need his soldiers here on earth to proclaim His Name boldly. And so I have as best I can during these past 20 years and pray to be able to do so for the next 20 and more. During these Days of Awe, and on the eve of the 20th anniversary of 9/11, I encourage you to see with new eyes, hear with new ears, feel with a new heart, live with renewed inspiration, as you more deliberately and with perseverance seek His closeness. As you do so, may others be able to see and hear Him too.

A new you. A new time in Him, for you and for all.

Shabbat shalom.
Diane