Pure perception
The point I am concerned with in this short exhortation is how our perception can propel us through process and pain toward the prize set before us. The way we perceive affects the condition of our hearts either positively or negatively. ‘Now when Joseph saw that his father laid his right hand on the head of Ephraim, it displeased him; so he took hold of his father’s hand…from Ephraim’s head to Manasseh’s head.’ Genesis 48v17. Both sons were Joseph’s but Manasseh was the elder of the two. To receive patriarchal blessing, Joseph expected his father to lay his right hand on the firstborn. The contrary that Joseph saw displeased him. Perception pilots emotion and motives. It impinges on how we analyse issues and the conclusions we reach. Since we need to always conclude wisely to get the best out of every situation, changing negative perception is imperative. The difficulty we encounter here is how to recognize and change odd perception. The
common belief that our background and the group we associate with have a remarkable influence on our perception of life is true. You cannot change your background but you can opt out of a bad group. Our internal make-up plays a dominant role too. The internal configuration must not be allowed to ruin our external walk and progress in God. If Jesus could walk on water, even what nature arranged God could re-arrange. In the text we read above, God inspired Israel to ‘set Ephraim before Manasseh.’ Genesis 48v20. The younger could be greater than the older. What you are going to become must be greater than who you are and what you were. Depend on God to change your perception. “And Joseph said to his father: ‘Not so, my father, for this one is the firstborn; put your right hand on his head.’ Genesis 48v18. Joseph wanted to correct his father in line with what he saw and deemed right. But his father’s action was deliberate. He saw differently and
according to heaven’s arrangement. Our Father in heaven also wants to effect rearrangements in our life despite what we have seen. He wants us to see the way He sees. Nature and nurture are not constraints to our Father’s perception. Like Joseph finally did, will you allow the Father’s re-arrangement? Don’t allow what you have seen put you in a mould. Scales of lies must fall off from our eyes if we must perceive right. Perfect perception of God’s way clears debris from blurred vision.

Moses is another example of someone who, at last and against all odds, saw the way God wanted him to go; ‘…for he looked to the reward.’ Hebrews 11v26. Moses who God chose as the leader in Israel had certain characteristics which made him excelled. Worthy of note among many of his faith boosters is perception. Faith in God so permeated Moses’ heart that what he beheld held him tight. He looked onto God, saw His reward and was glued to what he saw. ‘By keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish,’ we shall be able to strip off every weight that slows us down especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. Thus running the race that God has set before us becomes easier. Hebrews 12v1 (NLT). Moses ‘looked to the reward.’ He set his eyes on the crown and the determination to win the race consumed him. He discovered that the prize was worth the labourious process he had to go through. He saw the prize and
endured the pains. If there is no picture, there is no future. If you can see the picture, it is easy to adjust your posture. You will easily realize that a rigid posture can spoil the final result. Perception is critical to decision making process and the development of godly attitude. What you constantly behold, good or bad, will hold you tight. If you can see the right picture, you can take long strides toward the future with dodged resolve not to be deterred by any spanners thrown into your wheel of progress. ‘…For [Moses] looked to the reward.’  A place with Jesus is that reward, our reward. May God open our eyes to see beyond process and pains, to see the prize.
Be alert and alive in Him