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When I was about 10 I saw an odd TV movie. It was about a troubled man who wanted to be able to see things with X-ray vision. He thought that it would be such a great advantage to him, that he spent many years in the lab experimenting and trying to come up with some kind of formula that would give him X-ray vision. Eventually he finally succeeded. For the first few minutes it was wonderful. He could see through walls and objects! What a great discovery! What a great invention! All my troubles are over!

Ah, but his discovery was a double-edged sword. For now he lacked the ability to see things normally. Everything was just black and gray. He could no longer see people, just their skeletons. He stumbled into objects as he looked right through him. Life quickly became unbearable. His desire to see through things cost him the ability to see things as they really were. There was no more beauty or color or texture. It led him to insanity.

Sometimes I think we would like to have X-ray eyes. We want to see through those trees and catch a glimpse of that forest. What we don't realize is that we already possess that ability, but are blinded by our own pre-conceived notions.

Such has been the case in each of the three books we have studied on Sunday (James, 1 Peter and now Ruth) and our Sunday School lessons in Exodus. People in each of these books have been blinded by circumstances and are in danger of losing sight of God's reality. James challenged his readers to "Count it all joy when you face trials…" certainly not the perception we would normally take. Likewsie in 1 Peter, Peter challenged his readers to understand that suffering and trials are part of the work of God, which produce in us greater obedience. That too is not usually the way we view our situation.

The Old Testament displays similar such responses. In Ruth, Naomi was blinded by her bitterness so much that she was unable to remember positive facts. She closed her eyes to the hope that had always been in front of her. Why did God send a famine upon her land? To show Naomi and the rest of Israel that God would eventually provide for them and take care of their needs. But they needed to learn how to be dependent on Him. They needed to recognize that God sends trials with a purpose. We are not to try to escape them or ignore them. Rather we should rejoice in the opportunity to see God work. For a long time though, those darn trees where in Naomi's way.

In Exodus we have studied numerous similar occasions. God commanded and led His people into a barren desert. He even led them places where there was no water to drink? Why would God do this? Why would he take us places that don't seem prosperous? Why would He cause us to be in seemingly hopeless predicaments? The answer isn't as difficult as we may think. God has spoken many times on the subject. Have we been listening? "So that you will know that I am the LORD." "So that my power might be displayed."

In Exodus 17 God brought the people to a place with no water. Why? The people grumbled and complained against Moses saying, "Why did you bring us here to die?" Was it Moses that had led the way? No. It was God. Their complaints were against God and that frustrated Moses. When Moses brought forth water from a rock-imagine it, water from a rock-the people didn't even acknowledge the miracle of God. They location was called, Massa and Meribah, meaning "A place of testing," and "A place of quarreling." The people were so caught up in their perception of the present bleakness of the situation that they failed to recognize God's purpose and miraculous work of providence.

These are great lessons for the 20th century Christian mind and church. Why did God allow Jesus to be killed? Why did God allow the early church to be persecuted? Why did God allow the church to become currupted by the Roman state? Why does God sometimes lead us away from prosperity?

The answer is simple, even though the process can be difficult. God wants us to rely on Him and His providence. God wants us to see when He works in mighty ways. He wants us to understand His power. He wants us to be constantly vigilent and constantly on guard against Satan attacks. God wants to equip us for every good work-and here is where the wonder lies-which He has prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:10). That's the forest. Can you see it?

Romans 5:2b-5

"And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."