An Incredible Moment with a Blind Man (Luke 18:35-43)

Update: My mom was admitted to the hospital late Thursday afternoon. We spent all day in the ER having tests done and blood drawn. They are trying to rule out a stroke along with her other problems. Hubby and I left her tonight ready to go to sleep. She is still confused but maybe not quite as much. I'll be heading back to the hospital first thing this morning but if there is dialogue I'll respond on Saturday sometime. Right now we don't know if she will get released tomorrow or if she will be kept through the weekend.

I know, I didn't need to post at all. However, I did need to post because it helps me to focus on the One who is Able. Able in all things. Able to sustain life, able to take life, able to heal, able to strengthen, able to pour out His love, mercy and grace on our family. After my day today(Thursday) I need to redirect my focus, calm my thoughts, and direct my attention upwards. This helps me to do that. Thanks, Jules and Addie!

Ok, on to the post....

What an example of how the nation of Israel should have responded to the Messiah!! Isn't it interesting that in each case the person who did respond was an outcast from the mainstream of Judaism.

My understanding is there were two Jerichos then, an old city and a new city. Jesus was leaving old Jericho and approaching the new Jericho when the miracle occurred. As Christ passed by the blind man, hearing the commotion around him, asked what was going on. When he was told it was Jesus of Nazareth, he immediately realized that the Messiah was there. How do we know? Because of how he addressed Him..."Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." By using "Son of David" they were appealing to Him as Messiah.

What great symbolic value is here in this account. Well, I think so anyway. :) The man was a beggar sitting by the side of the road, waiting for something to happen. He was blind and could do nothing to change his condition. Isn't that just like us? We were blind, in fact, we were more than blind, we were dead in our sins. The Messiah came through his town. Immediately the blind man recognized Him as the Messiah, the one who could save him from his blindness. I wonder, how many attempts does it take for people to realize when the Messiah passes near to them? Spiritual outcasts, unable to help themselves, far more readily recognized the Messiah and ased for His help than did the Jewish religious leaders.

The people in front tried to keep him quiet. Likewise, the religious leasers tried to keep people from believing on Jesus. But, I love how the opposition made the man more adamant in his faith.

This man was so confident that Jesus, the Messiah, had the power to heal him. When Jesus stated that his faith had healed him, He was not saying the the man's faith possessed some power but rather, the man had faith in the Messiah, and it was the Messiah's power that had healed him. In the same way, if the nation had faith in the Messiah, their faith would have healed them of their spiritual blindness. Nothing stopped this man from praising God!!!

I remember one time when Pilot had shared in school about groceries being dropped off anonymously on our front porch. He was offering up a praise in how the Lord provided for us. He attended a Christian school filled with very wealthy families (obviously we were not one of those). Most of the children asked why we just didn't go to the store and buy our own food. Well, to make a long story short, as he was telling me this after he got home from school, my mind filled with all kinds of thoughts...."oh, what must they think?" Or, "Oh, man, how embarrassing..." I didn't voice those thoughts but just let him finish sharing. He then went off to do his homework. As I worked on chopping my veggies for dinner the Lord convicted me strongly about Praising Him. I went in to Pilot's room and told him how proud I was of him for sharing how the Lord had worked so personally in our family. We have always been a family where personal attention was given by God. And, we should always be willing to share God's goodness poured out on us. That's what I see this man doing...praising the Lord to the highest because of how the Lord had blessed him!