It's Weird Passage Wednesday

Mark 8 22 - They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23 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?” 24 He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.” 25 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.

This is a crazy passage to me. Jesus did the “almost” miracle and then the miracle. Why is that? Well, in other passages he told us that his ability to heal was limited by their faith. He could do no miracles in his hometown because the people saw him as the Carpenter dude instead of the Son of God. I don’t think it’s because he didn’t have power. He obviously did a lot of miracles because he wanted to (multiplying food, raising the dead, healings, etc). 

But sometimes God wants to work with us and through us and limits himself through our faith. I can’t help but wonder if Jesus did this as a taste. “Here, let me give you a small glimpse of what your vision will be like.” And the man saw something, and it excited him, and he wanted more. Didn’t that increase his faith? I have no idea. 

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving, and it makes me think. If Thanksgiving could be our opportunity to see the miracles of God just a tiny bit, wouldn’t it increase our faith? And if our faith was increased, the works of God would increase. I guess I’m wondering what next Thanksgiving could be like.  A part of what I’m thankful for is determined by my faith in God to provide. 

A parallel type passage in Matthew 9 shows us this same thing as Jesus was healing some blind men, 29Then he touched their eyes and said, "According to your faith will it be done to you"; 30and their sight was restored "According to their faith." 

This passage helps me understand the other one. But the cool thing about the first story is that Jesus took the amount of faith the man had and gave him something. He gave him a little glimpse of what his miraculous future could look like. Maybe he can do that for you tomorrow. It might not have been the best year for you. You might be facing some real financial hardships, a lot of people are. There might be some really tough “blindness’ issues in your life right now. You may feel that you don’t have enough faith to see anything at this point. But can I urge you to take some time tomorrow and really be thankful for the small little miracles? The “people who look like trees walking around.” You might not be able to see the full work of God yet, but isn't there something? Maybe then, when you see the little things that have happened, the things you can be thankful for, then you can prepare yourself for the full work of God. 

Nothing will help your faith like thanksgiving! 

Thursday may be God’s favorite holiday. 

Tim

Comments

[Paula]

GOD will Provide rain for the seeds you sow. The grain that grows will be abundant. Your cattle will range far and wide. Oblivious to war and earthquake, the oxen and donkeys you use for hauling and plowing will be fed well near running brooks that flow freely from mountains and hills. Better yet, on the Day GOD Heals His people of the wounds and bruises from the time of punishment, moonlight will flare into sunlight, and sunlight, like a whole week of sunshine at once, will flood the land.
--Isaiah 30:23 (Msg)

GOD will Provide to ALL who BELIEVE :)

(plus apparently multiple copies of his favorite blog entries :)

HAPPY (REFLECTIVE)THANKSGIVING!