Seeing MORE!

DAILY BYTE

Interestingly enough, just before Jesus addresses his question to his disciples, (remember yesterday’s focus reading), there is a story of a blind man being healed.

I am convinced that the author of Mark’s Gospel included this particular story just before Jesus’ question because he intended the two stories to be read as one.

I am not saying he made up this miracle story just to suit his point, but rather that he chose this particular one out of hundreds of miracles stories because he wanted to make a spiritual point with it (just like preachers do all the time).

And that point is to further emphasise ‘hodos’ or ‘on the way’ (again remember yesterday) in that like this blind man, the eyes of disciples are gradually opened to see who Jesus really is and how big God really is.

This is such a powerful illustration because it is just so true for ALL of us.

That we begin be being totally blind to who God really is, and that everyday after we decide to intentionally follow Jesus in his Way, then our eyes are slowly opened to see more and more and more of God.

Sometimes life seems as ‘clear as mud’ to us, but if we keep on trusting then we will begin to more clearly see God’s purposes in this world and within us.

Sometimes we make the very big mistake of seeing this hazy picture of God and then deciding, ‘Well, that’s it! That’s all there is to this.’
And we live with an inadequate view of God meaning God has to grab us by the shoulders and challenge us in order to grow us – just like what happened with Peter a little later in Mark 8.

The point is that we will never know all there is to know about God, so we can always be growing and learning. We should beware of any attitude that says otherwise for we can then lead ourselves down some very arrogant and close-minded paths.

PRAY AS YOU GO

Loving God, thank-you for the very gracious way you work in our lives. Help us to humbly accept that when it comes to matters of spirituality, we often don’t get the whole picture. Help us to allow you to work in our lives exactly as you want to, help us to keep on trusting you even when we become impatient at how slowly we may feel you are working. Amen.

FOCUS VERSE

Mark 8 : 22-26 (NIV)

They 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. Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."