...other meditations

open your eyes

they (Jesus and His followers) came to bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 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?" he looked up and said, "i see people; they look like trees walking around." 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.
mark 8:22-25

God is undoubtedly at work here as Jesus heals a blind man within minutes. what an awesome miracle! but what can be learned from all of this? not only is the power of God and Jesus Christ, once again, confirmed, but a man's faith was tested as well. the healings of Jesus Christ throughout the new testament always tested the faith of the individual receiving or asking for the healing. in fact, a woman with a long-term illness was healed just by touching Jesus' cloak (mark 5:25-34). after identifying herself, Jesus turned to her and said, "daughter, your faith has healed you. go in peace and be freed from your suffering." God knew her heart and saw that faith within her.

the blind man in the passage above was brought to Jesus by some individuals who begged Jesus to heal him. at this point, these individuals may have had more faith than the blind man himself had. that may be why Jesus approached him in the way He did. He and the blind man withdrew to a different place where Jesus and he could be alone in conversation. after Jesus spat in his eyes and laid His hands on him, the man reported that he could see a little, but not very clearly. by his description of "people looking like trees", we also learn that he probably wasn't born blind. however, it took a second touch of Jesus' hands to truly open his eyes. why was that? perhaps Jesus wanted to do it that way to show His fullness of power and control over the situation. then again, maybe that's what the blind man needed; a gradual restoration of his faith.

just like those people who brought the blind man to Jesus for healing, we offer up our own loved ones in prayer. we see their hurt and their need for healing. we also see their disappointments and confusions, and in our own frustration, we realize that there is nothing we can do for them. what we want to do is grab our loved one by the hand, take them to Jesus Himself and cry out, "please heal them!" yet, sometimes the only thing we can do is lift them up to our Heavenly Father and pray for His divine intervention. but just like the blind man in the passage above, God examines and searches the hearts of those in need of healing. He's looking for that faith that will allow them to "open their eyes" and see clearly.

God heals in His time and in His own ways. we never know what the outcome will hold or the reasons why things happen the way they do. the only thing we do know is that God wants complete and total trust and faith in Him. that is often a struggle for us and He knows that. nevertheless, He wants to look deep within our hearts and see that yearning for His touch. not only does He desire to heal us but He wants us to be willing patients. allow Him to work a miraculous change in your life today!

this ol' house,

tamara