Wednesday, February 4, 2009

ONCE BLIND



There's a story in the Bible that talks about healing of the eyes. A physical healing. But, it is also about healing of the heart. As Christians who were once sinners...We were all "Once Blind" but now "We See".

I never was physically blind but I was definitely spiritually blind. I just couldn't believe that Jesus could love me. But...I was wrong and if that's how you believe your wrong to. I had been blinded to the fact that Jesus loves all of us, no matter what we have done. Sometimes, the more you do the more that satan convinces you God doesn't love you. That's just not true. I believe that the harder you work at trying to get away from God, the harder He works at trying to bring you to Him.

In the Gospel of John the Bible talks about a man that was born blind. The disciples asked Jesus...Why, was it because of his sins or his parents?

John 9:3-5
3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Sin wasn't the reason for it. He was born this way so that Jesus could perform a miracle in his life and reveal the healing power of GOD. Jesus came to earth to be "The Light of the world". So, as long as He was on the earth He had to do what God sent Him to do. One thing was-to bring "Sight to the Blind". Not only physically but spiritually as well. It's the same as when He opens the "sinners" (our) eyes and shows us how much we need Him.

John 9:
6
Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes.

I recently read that in Jesus time saliva was thought to be the "essential being of a person". So...in actuality Jesus was giving of Himself to the blind man. It's the same as when Jesus died on the cross for us. He gave the "ultimate" part of Himself. HIS LIFE

John 9:7
He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

After the blind man obeyed Jesus he could see. Can you imagine what it must have been like to see for the first time! Try to imagine it. Just to look at the sky and see the clouds. Maybe there were birds flying. All the different colored flowers and the animals. The people...You sat at the gate and begged with them everyday. This has been your life for as long as you can remember. And now...You Can See!! You would probably be the happiest you can ever remember being. But...there's something even better. Not only does Jesus heal us physically, He also heals us spiritually. As soon as we ask for forgiveness...Jesus cleanses us. In a sense our sight is restored. Where we were once blind to the things of God we now can see. Just like the blind man. It's really like seeing for the first time. Life seems brighter. We are happier, people seem nicer. You see things through different eyes. Everything that God has created just seems more alive.

When the blind man went home no one could believe it was him. Some said, "he was just like him." But the man said, "I am he." Many times that's how it is for us when we become Christians. Our friends and family can't believe it's us because we are different. People ask us what happened and when we tell them what Jesus did for us some will believe and some won't. You can't convince people that don't want to believe. You can just answer the way the blind man did, he said;

John 9:25b
One thing I know; I was blind but now I can see"!

It doesn't matter if people believe that Jesus "healed" you or not. All that matters is that you believe. Jesus has "healed" you from the inside out. What a testimony that will be. "once I was blind but now I can see."

So many times we are like the blind man. No hope and no where to turn. Friends can't help us, family can't help us, and we can't even help ourselves. Only Jesus can help us. He is the Master Healer of our souls...our bodies...our minds. Many times we are Christians and physically we are well. But...because of our sin Jesus needs to heal our minds. Sometimes we just need to be able to get over our pasts and look towards the future. He can help you to do that. Sometimes it's harder to be healed from your past memories because you have to be the one to let them go. There kind of like habits. As long as you want to hold on to the habit, or the hurt, God will let you. But once you really decide you want to let it go He will help you to do that. Just surrender it to Him. He's just waiting for you to make the choice.




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