“
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 8:25 (NIV)”
Suppose you lived on a city street corner, a vagrant with no place to call home. The sounds of gathering crowds and the unpleasant smells of livestock daily pass you by. You begin to imagine what it would be like to take a look at your environment. But you know that will never happen because darkness engulfs you. You are blind.
There was a blind man in Bethsaida. When news spread about the arrival of the Man who performed miracles, the blind man’s friends led Him to Jesus. The disciples and bystanders all watched as Jesus lay hands on the man’s eyes. Jesus asked, “Do you see anything?”
The man said people appeared dim. He described them as trees walking around. Jesus again placed his hands on the man’s eyes. Immediately his sight was restored. His eyes were opened. He saw everything clearly. What a miracle to have experienced.
Earlier Jesus had initiated a tough discussion with His disciples after abundantly suppling bread and fish for a massive crowd of people. The bounty was so great that they had experienced an overflow. Following the massive meal, the disciples had picked up baskets full of leftover pieces. Jesus then warned the disciples of the yeast of religious leaders and the adherence to man’s ways. But they failed to understand Him. “Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened?” Jesus asked.
Throughout His cross-examination, Jesus tried to enlighten His disciples about God’s ways. Jesus, the Bread of Life, had supplied the needs of a hungry crowd and the disciples had witnessed the miracle. But the Pharisees tried to deny the supernatural event with requests of more signs. Jesus recognized the dangers of the religious elite’s unbelief circulating among His followers. Though He reminded the disciples of His divine power, He knew they misunderstood.
Like a loving teacher who desires for His students to learn, Jesus closed the discussion with another miracle. He healed the blind man brought to Him in Bethsaida. After placing His hands on the man’s eyes twice, his vision was restored. He saw everything clearly. Did the disciples now see and understand?
Again, suppose you encountered vision problems and your world began to grow dark. Would you follow the ways of man and allow fear to consume you? Or would you cling to faith in God even though you couldn’t see what stood in front of you?
I recently discovered that three of my friends grappled with eye disease. Struggling with cataracts and glacoma, all three needed surgery. I could only imagine the uncertainty they faced. Asking for prayer, these ladies resisted fear and clung to faith. And praise God, they’ve all had successful surgeries.
Are you burdened with a bodily disease? Or are you overloaded with dis-ease and difficulty from work and finances? Most likely Covid and its ramifications have stressed you to a maximum level. Has your focus been faith or fear? Can you hear Jesus saying, “Do you still not understand?”
After Jesus gave sight to the blind man, He continued on with His instruction to His disciples as they traveled to neighboring villages. Jesus asked them, “Who do people say I am?”
Several of them offered various answers, but Peter said, “You are the Messiah.”
What a declaration. It seems the disciples were finally developing eyes to see and ears to hear. Was truth beginning to be revealed?
How about your eyes and ears? Have the happenings of the year 2020 distracted you with fear and terror? Or have you been awakened to God’s powerful presence and His promised faithfulness? Jesus is the Bread of life. Everyone who is spiritually hungry will be satisfied by belief and trust in Him.
Focus on Jesus, the Bread of Life, the spiritual staple that fills hearts and souls. Look to Him and know He is God. With clear vision and receptive ears, grasp the truth of His words. And He will supply all your needs abundantly, even to an overflow.
