Jesus is Essential
Mark 8:22–26: Then He came to Bethsaida; and they brought a blind man to Him, and begged Him to touch him. So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.”
Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly. Then He sent him away to his house, saying, “Neither go into the town, nor tell anyone in the town.”
We ought to come to God for his gracious healing power, but we must not attempt to tell him how to do it. We may and must ask for spiritual growth. But we must not lay down guidelines as to how God ought to produce this. We must not, for example, ask God to develop our spiritual lives, and then when he pulls out the shears and begins to prune say, “No, Lord, you can’t do it that way!”
Do not ask the Lord to make you sensitive to others, and then resent the difficult person who crosses your life at work or in the Church. God often circumvents a proud, presumptuous spirit, whereas spiritual grace may be mediated by a friendship, a discipline, or a hardship. 1
Walking with Jesus
Is your Christian life based on your terms with Him, or His truth with you? The answer may be found in the way you obey His word. Do you respond immediately with joyful obedience, or with debatable hesitation?
Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me. Revelation 3:20
Even though we may have perfect vision, it does not mean we see clearly.
Praying
Lord, please remove any obstacles in my heart that keep me from seeing You more clearly.
1. Hughes, R. K. (1989). Mark: Jesus, servant and savior. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books.
