Mark 8:22-26
²²And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and implored Him to touch him.
²³Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything?”
²⁴And he looked up and said, “I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.”
²⁵Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.
²⁶And He sent him to his home, saying, “Do not even enter the village.”
We don’t have to be blind to have a limited view.
Whether we are young or old, healthy or sick, we are all too often trapped in our own traditions and customs.
● Then we are just like the mountaineers who could have a great view of the surroundings from the top of a mountain, but because of the mist there is not much to see of all that beauty.
Only when the sun breaks through does the haze begin to disappear in strands, and we gradually start to see more.
● Or we have tunnel vision, making it as if we are looking through a tube. We see very clearly what we have in the picture, but everything that moves around it and influences what we see, escapes us completely.
Gradually, Jesus is busy giving his disciples more understanding and insight.
In that context, the way of healing this blind man in Bethsaida is illustrative.
This takes place step by step, just like the teaching of the disciples.
Jesus offers Himself as the guide of this blind man. He takes him out of the village (Mark 8:2). This shows that the work He is doing in our hearts is neither intended for, nor visible to the sensationalistic public. After all, we must not throw our pearls before swine (Matthew 7:6)!
As already mentioned, the healing takes place in stages.
At first the man distinguishes things only vaguely.
After that, he sees everything clearly (Mark 8:24,25). That is how the Christ sends him to his home (Mark 8:26).
In Mark 8:18, Jesus had reproached his disciples for still being so unbelieving, despite everything they had seen and heard of Him.
The healing of this blind man shows us that even when we sometimes have doubts, the thing is not lost with that, for the Christ works great miracles (Compare 2 Corinthians 3:14-16). And because the miracles are not over, his work continues.
Jesus wants to continue with his work in your life (Compare Philippians 4:6).
Do you want Him to give you an ever-increasing perspective?
Just like the mountain tourist will see more when the sun breaks through?
Or like that man who stops looking through a tube?
When you let yourself be taken by God, step by step He will lift a tip of the veil, so that you will see more and more clearly who He is, and what His plans are for this world, for your environment, and for yourself.
Question for self-reflection
▪︎ How can you see some of God’s plan for your life? (Compare 1 Corinthians 12:4-7 and Galatians 6:2-6.)
Prayer suggestion
▪︎ Ask from the LORD to give you a humble heart, and a pure understanding.
Twitter: @SchoemakerHarry
Website 1: https://devotionals.harryschoemaker.nl
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