Blind

Luke 18:31-43

31-34 Then Jesus took the Twelve off to the side and said, "Listen carefully. We're on our way up to Jerusalem.

Everything written in the Prophets about the Son of Man will take place. He will be handed over to the Romans, jeered at, made sport of, and spit on.

Then, after giving him the third degree, they will kill him. In three days he will rise, alive."

But they didn't get it, could make neither heads nor tails of what he was talking about.

35-37 He came to the outskirts of Jericho. A blind man was sitting beside the road asking for handouts. When he heard the rustle of the crowd, he asked what was going on. They told him, "Jesus the Nazarene is going by."

38 He yelled, "Jesus! Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!"

39 Those ahead of Jesus told the man to shut up, but he only yelled all the louder, "Son of David! Mercy, have mercy on me!"

40 Jesus stopped and ordered him to be brought over. When he had come near, Jesus asked, "What do you want from me?"

41 He said, "Master, I want to see again."

42-43 Jesus said, "Go ahead—see again! Your faith has saved and healed you!"

The healing was instant: He looked up, seeing—and then followed Jesus, glorifying God. Everyone in the street joined in, shouting praise to God.

Things are getting serious. We're now taking the turn for Jerusalem in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus is going there for one purpose...his crucifixion and resurrection.

And he wants to let his closest friends in on what is going to happen.

But he can't.

It's not for lack of trying...they just don't have the ability to "see" what he's saying.

They heard him...but they didn't "see."

It would take a blind man for that.

The blind man somehow sensed, or heard, who was coming. He cried out for help, "Jesus have mercy on me!"

What did Jesus' disciples and "handlers" have to say?

"Those ahead of Jesus told the man to shut up...but he only yelled all the louder"

He yelled the loudest, because even though he was physically blind, his spiritual sight was better than anyone else surrounding Jesus.

Why would things be any different today? It shouldn't, necessarily. And that really tells me something.

It tells me that I need to take the time to really look...to really listen...to not only hear...but to ask whether I am "seeing" as Jesus would have me to.

I recently heard a colleague in ministry speak about the blind hymn-writer Fanny Crosby. She was one of the most prolific writers of the 19th century, and many of her songs spoke of what she would "see," even though she was blind.

A lot of us have heard these words before:

Perfect submission, perfect delight,
visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love.

If we're going to really see, maybe we've got to become blind.  Or
maybe just admit what we're missing, and just ask for Jesus' help.

Prayer:  Father God, we pray for the vision that can only
come from you. 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.
World without end.  Amen.