Optical Illusions - Things aren't always what they seem

Sometimes the things in life really aren't what they seem. Our mind and eyes decieve us into thinking something that isn't the true picture. The horizontal lines in the top picture appear to be slanted, but are they? The bottom picture appears to have gray spots in the white area at the corners of the squares. But things aren't always what they seem...

I am having the worst time with my pool this year. It opened green and yucky. The algae has been tough to keep out of the pool this year. No matter how hard I work at cleaning the pool, the algae comes back. No matter how much chlorine I put into the pool, the next day the levels are low. Is it a mechanical problem? Is it a chlorine problem? Do I need some algaecide to combat the algae? I had enough...so I go to the pool store with a water sample. I tell the guy my problems and he tests my water. He tells me that the PH is way too low. He said that if the PH is too low, the chlorine level will not be able to be maintained, and if the chlorine level is not maintained, then the algae will start to grow. He said, fix the PH and then your other levels will fall into place. He went right at the root of the problem. In my limited knowledge of pool care I was deceived into thinking that my problem was something different than it really was.

On Sunday, I'll be preaching from John 9 where Jesus restores sight to the man born blind. The disciples asked Jesus, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" In the disciples mind, there were only two potential reasons that the man was blind. Jesus responded to the disciples by saying, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." Jesus spit on the ground and made mud and placed it on his eyes. He told the man to go to the Pool of Siloam and wash. He obeyed and his sight was restored. God did something powerful in this man's life. Everybody knew who this guy was. They passed by him everyday as he was begging. The people could not believe it! They were sure that this was some kind of a scam. They asked the guy several times to tell them exactly what happened. They even called the guy's parents over to make sure this man was telling the truth. Sure enough God did something absolutely amazing and His glory was displayed for many to see! Are you going through something difficult in your life? Maybe God is planning to do something amazing in your life that demonstrates who He is! Jesus told the man to go to the Pool to wash off! Maybe before He does something amazing, He is asking you to do something. Obedience always precedes the miraculous! Maybe He is waiting for you to obey before He moves in your life. What is He telling you to do? Whatever it is...do it...Right away, and watch God move.