Vol. 18 No. 08 | February 22, 2016
22 They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he
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had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”
25 Once more Jesus put his hands on the man’s eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t go into the village.” (Mark 8:22-26, NIV)
The disciples were a lot like this man in that although Jesus was right there in front of them they could not see clearly who He was or what was happening. While they occasionally demonstrate partial understanding of “the way of the Lord,” they never fully grasp its implications. We are a lot like the disciples in that our vision and our understanding are often impaired to cause us to occasionally demonstrate partial understanding of “the way of the Lord.” We have a difficult time remembering and living according to what we know.
The blind man knew he was seeing people but they looked like trees. He knew what people looked like but as his sight is being restored he was not sure of what he was seeing. Jesus’s disciples experienced the same issue. They knew Jesus. They had seen and heard enough to know who He was, but at times, especially when following Him became more of a challenge, they had difficulty letting what they knew to be true was true and could be trusted. Since reading these words I suspect you have some knowledge and some belief that Jesus was who He said He was, did what He did, and is capable of doing what He said He could do. The problem for us is the same as the disciples we have trouble allowing what we know to be true to sustain us when following Him becomes a challenge.
The blind man could only see after Jesus put His hands on the mans’s eyes. He could see partially, but not total vision until Jesus touched his eyes. The disciples were only able to see clearly after spending more time with Jesus, after watching Him, after listening to Him, and after He filled them with His Spirit. When Jesus fills us with His Spirit will we be able to see Him clearly, understand His ways, and follow Him completely. Not before. Until then it will be as if we see people who look like trees walking around.
Are you seeing Jesus clearly? Would you like to see Him clearly? Here’s a suggestion: Beg Jesus to touch you.
Tom
A Norvell Note © Copyright 2016. Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved.