Mud in the Eyes Part III Collaboration with the Almighty

Mark's gospel also records the miracle healing of a blind man.  

Whether it is the same man described in John 9 is unclear, but Jesus used a similar method in both instances.

Mark 8  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 had spit on the man’s eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”

Don’t you love the question Jesus asks? If it were me, I might have protested, “Lord! You just spit in my eyes! How can I see anything?” I wonder how many times I've objected to the process and the methods of God working in my life. 

Now, think about the hopeful simplicity of his question, prompting us to assess the progress. In this case, a man was coming out of a lifetime of sheer darkness into the light of day, and the gradual progression was undoubtedly essential for him. 

When God's working in me, I might not feel ready to perform or answer questions, but in this story we're getting a clear picture (pun intended) of the conversational and listening God who invites our collaboration. I love that. 

God always starts right where we are. “Do you see ANY THING?” 

I wonder if God wants to ask all of us! What do you see in your world? Do you see your spouse, your children, your neighbors? Where is your focus? Are you only concerned about yourself and your 401k? Don’t miss the Christmas story of Scrooge, who squandered his life in pursuit of wealth, and nearly died alone and in misery. 

So the Lord may want us to wake up and think about this. Do you see anything, the way God sees? 

²⁴ He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

How did this man know what a tree looked like? No doubt he had felt, stumbled into, or leaned on a tree at some point in his life. He probably sought the shelter of trees in bad weather. 

He never imagined that people with all our moving limbs, resembled slender trees. He had to align his prior learning and personal experience with what was being illuminated before him. 

How do I view people? Do I see people like wooden objects or obstacles in my path? 

God wants us to see everything clearly!  He wants us to see people as He sees them—not their age, color, class, gender, uniform, or status—but as objects of his love, created in his image, and destined to reflect his glory. 

This may require our honest admission of continued need for  another fresh touch of God in our lives. This is the privilege of sonship He bestows. It is the collaboration with the Almighty in the unfolding miracle of restoration. 

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. 

The “once more” touch of Jesus proves that even He doesn't do everything fully or completely the first time! I love this reminder of the patient Master at work, the Potter shaping his clay. We are a work in progress and God doesn’t give up on us.  

²⁶ Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

Notice, his instructions are very specific afterwards.  We can only guess why this was important for this man, at this time, but it would have been wise for him to obey. I have to believe it was for this man’s benefit and protection that Jesus urged him to go straight home. He may have been mobbed, dragged before the court of Pharisees, or worse, and the Lord knew he couldn’t handle it. (I Cor 10:13, Ex.13:17)

Are you listening to the instructions of the Lord in your life? Our tendency may be to feel annoyed by an interruption to our plans, but what foolishness to disregard the loving guidance of the God who made you. 

Learn to trust and collaborate with Him and you won’t be sorry.  He sees you; He loves you; and He never gives up on you! 

Mud in the Eyes Part II What is Blindness?

John 9

¹³ They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. ¹⁴ Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath.¹⁵ Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

Despite the judgment, criticism or rejection of others, we are called to tell our story, His story! It doesn’t change but it COULD change the eternal destiny for any who decide to believe it. Be faithful! Speak up for God in this unbelieving world! 

¹⁶ Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner perform such signs?” So they were divided. ¹⁷ Then they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

This man knew very little about Jesus, probably very little training or theology, but he knew that Jesus was a man of God who did the impossible in his life. 

Notice, the Pharisees were divided. Some were quickly dismissive, but others were leaning toward the possibility that a divine miracle had taken place, like little roots of faith emerging! We speak for those whose ears are open. Many were still not satisfied and demanded more evidence. 

¹⁸ They still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. ¹⁹ “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

²⁰ “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. ²¹ But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 

Have you ever blown an opportunity to speak for God? It’s easy to think first about protecting ourselves, trying to defuse a hostile situation, and get out of the pressure cooker. Personally, I’m sorry for the times I’ve hesitated. Don’t be ashamed of the gospel message. It is life to those that are perishing! Far better to risk the rejection of others and speak the truth about Jesus, knowing He will reward you in due season. 

²² His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders, who already had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue.²³ That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

Sometimes, the things we fear might be a blessing in disguise! It would have been better for these parents to leave the place of unbelief, no matter how comfortable it had become! Do we hang onto a job where immorality rules or a relationship that dishonors the Lord, simply because we can’t trust God to meet our needs? We need to let it go and do what’s right. It takes courage to step away. 

²⁴ A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God by telling the truth,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

²⁵ He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

Admittedly, this blind man still didn’t know much, but he could give a clear testimony of a God-sent miracle. When something is real in your life you can’t deny it. This is precisely how you give God glory due His Name, as they demanded! 

²⁶ Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

²⁷ He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples too?”

²⁸ Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! ²⁹ We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

Spiritual truth is unattainable to their natural minds, and baffled, they try to figure out the methods of God. But standing before them is living proof that God can do anything, ANYTHING, and they don’t see it! 

³⁰ The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. ³¹ We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly person who does his will. ³² Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. ³³ If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

³⁴ To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

This man born blind is standing right up to these religious leaders with uncommon boldness. What happens next is the icing on the cake of this man’s miraculous day. 

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

Don’t you love this? Jesus found him, not the other way around! 

One day soon, Jesus would stand trial before them himself, and they would hurl their insults (and much worse) against him. But on this day, a blind man was thrust into that limelight, tried and tested by the wolves. It would have been a lot easier to deny Him, and go his own way to begin enjoying life as a seeing man. Instead, he stood strong, more fearless than his parents, and spoke boldly for God. 

The Lord is compassionate to all, but I’m sure this man’s courage in the face of all the abuse he suffered, after a lifetime of humiliation and suffering, touched his heart. So much so, that Jesus wanted to meet him.

True enlightenment of the spirit is a journey, and spiritual growth, just as with our physical bodies, can come in spurts in unseen places. This poor beggar was still in the dark in his understanding in some ways, but God is faithful to reveal more light when we are ready! 

³⁶ “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

³⁷ Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”  ³⁸ Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

This man had such a ready heart to receive after a lifetime of begging and stumbling around in the dark! And how fortunate for him, after just an hour of seeing, he saw JESUS face to face! 

³⁹ Jesus said,“For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.

Jesus made it clear that the Pharisees were still in the dark.  Claiming to see and judge truth for everyone, educated and esteemed as they were, they remained spiritually blind.  

What about you? Do you consider yourself wise and educated? Yet, are you still laboring to judge the methods of God and the testimonies of how He operates? Or, have you asked Him to show you truth and open the eyes of your heart?   

Friend, don't remain in spiritual blindness when the Light of the World has already come. Ask Him to show you the truth. 

Jesus said, "I Am the light of the world."

Blind Date for an Army

It feels like the whole world is at war, and our nation more divided than ever. It's discouraging to watch the news and hear another onslaught of accusations and vicious attacks. Missiles fly, shooters target innocent people for no apparent reason, and the moral fiber of society continues unraveling as a stream of leaders in high places fall into disgrace and scandal. When will it end? 

We need to remember that the Lord our God is right here with us and all around us! We know, He wants us to walk by faith and not by sight, but wouldn’t it be great if we could see what’s really going on around us?

I remember the incredible account of Elisha and his servant during a time of war between the king of Aram and Israel. One night things took a turn for the worse, and their city was surrounded by Aram’s army. The servant thought they were going to die. All he saw was enemy horses and soldiers surrounding the city, but the prophet Elisha remained calm. He didn't fall apart or fall down begging God for victory. He simply asked God to open his servant’s eyes. 

The story is found in 2 Kings 6:8-23.

⁸ Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel…¹⁴ Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city. ¹⁵ When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” ¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  ¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

Chariots of fire? Angelic armies? Come on, when you're struggling with the daily battles of life, do you think about that? We need reminders. We need spiritual vision  to see what's happening beyond the physical circumstances that threaten us.

That unnamed servant could be you and me in this day and age, Christ-follower. We need our eyes opened now more than ever. Are you afraid?  Take heart. Have faith! Much greater are those who are with us than with ISIS!

The entire realm of angelic warriors of the Lord’s army encamps around us in chariots of fire, poised to protect God’s own. We need to remember what Jesus said to Thomas:

“Even better blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.” John 20:29

But this story isn't finished yet.  What happens next is even more remarkable and impacted the entire nation. Contrast the fearful servant’s newly opened eyes to the invading army's sudden loss of vision. This was a blind date for an army, set before a king.

¹⁸ As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked. ¹⁹ Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

Being struck blind must be one of the scariest experiences imaginable--especially to an army battalion of troops far away from home. They were suddenly at the mercy of strangers who led them the wrong way, completely vulnerable and unable to fight, where they could have been annihilated.

²⁰ After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

²¹ When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?” ²² “Do not kill them,” he answered... "Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” ²³ So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

When they could see again, they were being served dinner and drinks on the house. It says they “prepared a great feast,” not just a handful of leftover bread. There must have been savory meats and fruits, wines and cheeses in lavish amounts. 

Those soldiers probably thought they were going to die that day, but instead they found themselves feasting from the king's table, because of his great generosity. The very one who had the power and opportunity to end their lives, was nourishing them instead!

After the royal banquet ended, the King of Israel stood up and gave his speech. “Thanks for coming boys. You can all go home now.”

Whatttt? I could see Jesus doing something like that, couldn’t you? It was radical. Unthinkable. It was the strategy that ended a war and changed the lives of those men forever. What amazing grace! 

So the king of Israel set them all free in obedience to the words of the prophet. And then there was peace in the land.

Understandably, the armies of Aram lost the will to war after that. I guess it's pretty hard to attack someone who took you on a blind date and fed you like kings when they could have annihilated you! 

It's the same for us today. God tells us, love your enemies; set them free; leave them to me, and experience my blessing.

But do we do it? We condemn those who wrong us, we are quick to slander, curse our enemies, hold a grudge, and feel justified. THEY did THAT! But look at the plank in our eyes if we do the same things they do. We are hateful and proud. 

God, we need you to open OUR blind eyes and teach us your ways of peace. Our hearts are hard. We don’t see as we ought. We don't love our enemies, or even those who are different than us. Teach us to love our enemies--even people with different clothing and hairdos!

Abba Father, break our hearts for what breaks yours and make us radical, forgiving and loving Christ-followers. Help us to SEE YOU as You are, seated above the heavens, and to SEE PEOPLE as we ought.  

As Elisha prayed, BLIND THE EYES of those who are fighting against you, SO THAT they can be forever changed by your great love.  And bring your peace to the nations.  Amen.