Mark 8:22-26 (NLT)
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” 24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”
I love the Bible! It is full of amazing stories and miracles just like this one. I have read this story several times before, but I began to see much more this time as I thought about all that was happening here. The people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged Him to touch and heal this man. I wondered if they were expecting Jesus to heal this man on the spot by simply touching him or speaking healing words over him as He did for so many others in the Bible.
This time, however, it didn't take long for them to realize Jesus had something else in mind. He did something completely different and led the man out of the city. This is the part I previously never gave much thought. I believe this small detail is a very important part of this story. A blind person can't see! He could have given this man clear vision in an instant but He didn't. Jesus took this man by the hand and led him out of the city. I wonder what they talked about. I have never been physically blind, but I have been told that a person who can't see often has exceptional hearing. Their acute awareness to subtle sound helps to guide them and compensate for their lack of sight.
I imagine this man not only holding the hand of Jesus, but also listening and becoming keenly aware of Jesus' voice. The voice of Truth was speaking, and by the time they got out of the city this man's ear was perfectly tuned to the voice of Jesus.
I began to think about how God sees everything even when we can't. But if we are willing to listen to His voice and grab His hand, He will lead us to where we need to go, tell us what we need to hear, and provide us with what we need to see exactly when we need to see it.
Speaking of seeing, up until this point there is no mention of Jesus telling him that He was going to heal him. The man and the people obviously believed Jesus could, or they wouldn't have come to Him in the first place. Up until this point they had gone on nothing more than a long walk through the city streets. It was only after walking through the town that Jesus spit on this man's eyes and then asked him if he can see. Now I don't know about you, but it would take a lot of convincing for me to allow someone to spit in my face! I don't think this man wanted to be spit on; I imagine that was the last thing on his mind when he woke up that morning thinking about everything the day might have in store. I doubt spit was even a remote thought as he got dressed to walk out the door, filled with the excitement of knowing he was going to see Jesus and hoped to walk home seeing once again.
I couldn't help but think about all the times in my life that unexpected events, circumstances, and outcomes had often caught me by surprise. God's ways truly are above our ways! It was this man’s belief in Jesus that brought him there, it was in presence of Jesus that he became aware, and it was the touch of Jesus that brought healing and repair. Sometimes when we endure hardships in life it may seem at first as if we are being spit on, but rest assured, Jesus knows exactly what He is doing. Perhaps the spit wasn't intended to be spit at all. I believe it was the exact moisture that was needed to rub this man's dry eyes more gently as He polished them clean. Who cleans a dirty mirror without first applying moisture? Chances are if we do, we see smudges and streaks that may appear a lot like trees.
Father,
Thank You for Your perfect ways. Thank You for taking the time to walk with us and talk with us. Lord, help us not to get caught up in our own perceptions of how You are going to do it, but rather remain confident in simply knowing and believing You will and can. We love You and thank You in advance for it. Amen.
22 When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. 23 Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” 24 The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” 25 Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly.26 Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.”
I love the Bible! It is full of amazing stories and miracles just like this one. I have read this story several times before, but I began to see much more this time as I thought about all that was happening here. The people brought a blind man to Jesus and begged Him to touch and heal this man. I wondered if they were expecting Jesus to heal this man on the spot by simply touching him or speaking healing words over him as He did for so many others in the Bible.
This time, however, it didn't take long for them to realize Jesus had something else in mind. He did something completely different and led the man out of the city. This is the part I previously never gave much thought. I believe this small detail is a very important part of this story. A blind person can't see! He could have given this man clear vision in an instant but He didn't. Jesus took this man by the hand and led him out of the city. I wonder what they talked about. I have never been physically blind, but I have been told that a person who can't see often has exceptional hearing. Their acute awareness to subtle sound helps to guide them and compensate for their lack of sight.
I imagine this man not only holding the hand of Jesus, but also listening and becoming keenly aware of Jesus' voice. The voice of Truth was speaking, and by the time they got out of the city this man's ear was perfectly tuned to the voice of Jesus.
I began to think about how God sees everything even when we can't. But if we are willing to listen to His voice and grab His hand, He will lead us to where we need to go, tell us what we need to hear, and provide us with what we need to see exactly when we need to see it.
Speaking of seeing, up until this point there is no mention of Jesus telling him that He was going to heal him. The man and the people obviously believed Jesus could, or they wouldn't have come to Him in the first place. Up until this point they had gone on nothing more than a long walk through the city streets. It was only after walking through the town that Jesus spit on this man's eyes and then asked him if he can see. Now I don't know about you, but it would take a lot of convincing for me to allow someone to spit in my face! I don't think this man wanted to be spit on; I imagine that was the last thing on his mind when he woke up that morning thinking about everything the day might have in store. I doubt spit was even a remote thought as he got dressed to walk out the door, filled with the excitement of knowing he was going to see Jesus and hoped to walk home seeing once again.
I couldn't help but think about all the times in my life that unexpected events, circumstances, and outcomes had often caught me by surprise. God's ways truly are above our ways! It was this man’s belief in Jesus that brought him there, it was in presence of Jesus that he became aware, and it was the touch of Jesus that brought healing and repair. Sometimes when we endure hardships in life it may seem at first as if we are being spit on, but rest assured, Jesus knows exactly what He is doing. Perhaps the spit wasn't intended to be spit at all. I believe it was the exact moisture that was needed to rub this man's dry eyes more gently as He polished them clean. Who cleans a dirty mirror without first applying moisture? Chances are if we do, we see smudges and streaks that may appear a lot like trees.
Father,
Thank You for Your perfect ways. Thank You for taking the time to walk with us and talk with us. Lord, help us not to get caught up in our own perceptions of how You are going to do it, but rather remain confident in simply knowing and believing You will and can. We love You and thank You in advance for it. Amen.
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