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What is vision? The ability to see and discern. Could it be a mental picture, an image of how something ought to be? Might it be the ability to perceive something not visible - yet? Yes, to all the above. Our own personal vision is at times dependent upon what we are looking at or for; what we want to see and understand. This particular scripture possibly being rendered - Where there is no standard (of living) or purpose (for living), the people perish. Or even, Where there is no revelation, the people lack restraint from evil, and motivation for good - and will perish. Is it important to have vision? Of course, life's difficulties being magnified when sight is lost. How about a vision? How lost are we without a mental picture of who we are, who God is, where we are going and how we plan to get there? Do you have a dream, goals and aspirations?

I would think the advantage of a shared vision would be unity in purpose; expressed in recovery from local or national disasters, or in the dream of building a society of freedom, justice and opportunity for all. This then tends to draw from us a willingness to sacrifice for a common cause. On an individual basis, vision helps us focus on life's goals; defining what those goals are and their potential for success, helping us develop a sense of purpose and direction. This in turn generates excitement and the energy to accomplish what we've envisioned. Who are you? What are you about? Where are you going? How are you going to get there? Why do you want to go? The answer to these questions will help define you as the person you are now and the one you hope to become.

I enjoy studying the history of man because I think understanding our past helps us put the present in proper perspective, possibly allowing us to foresee a glimpse of the future. Man being the creature he is - regardless of the time-frame - always seems to be dealing with the same opportunities and possibilities, suffering through the same temptations and failures and experiencing similar success. Santayana assures us that, 'Those who fail to learn from the past are doomed to repeat it." For we can be noble but are often selfish; we can be honorable but are often dishonest; we can be good but are often bad. Much depends on who we want to be, who we know God to be and the understanding we have of His vision for us.

Virtually every Native American culture had what they characterized as a vision quest. Depending somewhat on the tribes' customs, each initiate endured a time of fasting, chanting of prayers, and at times the use of herbal drugs in their search for a spirit guide. The Sun Lodge ceremony in particular graphically demonstrates their determination to find help in understanding life and their desire to be guided through it successfully. In the course of this ceremony, long, sharpened slivers of bone were inserted under the major muscles of the chest from which rawhide ropes were attached. These were then looped over the rafters of the ceremonial lodge and the seeker hoisted up into the air and left dangling until they could bear it no longer or the bone tore through the muscle and they fell to the ground. At times they would be tied in like manner to buffalo skulls or some other heavy object to be drug about, often for days, till it ripped loose.

Now I'm not suggesting we do this and would hasten to say that their vision probably came to them as a result of hunger, dehydration and exhaustion brought on by the pain and exertion of their ordeal. But what we can learn from them is persistence, insistence, and expectation! They would not quit; it being shameful to stop once started, even if the ceremony resulted in death. They hung for hours; looking, waiting, insisting on an answer, eagerly expecting to get it! How about you? Do you have difficulty finding time to study your Bible, can't work prayer time into your busy schedule, don't have the energy to work on memorization, won't go to church because you don't feel comfortable with some of the people there, does Sunday school last too long? What are you willing to "endure" to gain a vision, sacrifice to get an answer to your prayers; to purposefully find God and place yourself in his will?

Our Bibles record Elijah's experience on Mt. Carmel as the priests of Baal cut themselves and chanted incessantly in their desire to get his attention. But ancient history isn't the only example of the dedicated, if confused, seeking of God. Across Europe, South America, Iran and Iraq today, self - flagellation - or the beating of oneself with a whip - is practiced as a sign of guilt, repentance and sorrow for sin. Self - crucifixion is practiced in South America during Easter in an attempt to identify with God and find relief from sin. Extreme? Absolutely! But the desire - the willingness to sacrifice - the ability to forego pleasure for pain in the search for God - for vision - is incredible! What an intense desire to know God and be known by Him!!

We might next question how many times we need to seek a vision; once for life or every time we face a difficult situation? Some examples from scripture might help us find the answers – click on next week for Biblical examples of men who not only sought a vision but followed it at all costs.

"Inspiration For You" from Randy Mitchell

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