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7/26 Reading Portions: Judges 9; Acts 13; Jeremiah 22; Mark 8
Mark 8:24
And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.”
EYES
The people of Bethsaida brought a blind man to Jesus for healing (Mark 8:22) and the Lord Jesus led the man out of the village, and after spitting in the man’s blind eyes, Jesus asked him if he saw anything (Mark 8:23). The man could see, but not clearly (Mark 8:24). So, Jesus laid his hands on the man’s blurry eyes, and…
…his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Mark 8:25
This miracle has been a strange wonder to many. Could not the power of He who raised a little girl from the dead (Mark 5:41) open blind eyes without having to give it a second try? Well, of course He could; and had many times. Yet our precious Lord gives us in one episode two blessed gospel illustrations: one for the lost soul’s salvation, and the other for the saint’s ultimate glorification. When it comes to salvation and the conversion of the soul, the sinner must first be awakened to the truth of his or her ultimate need— eternal healing by the hand of Christ alone. Every sinner must be brought to Christ first. Then the Spirit reveals to us that we can’t see clearly apart from Christ. We must confess that we are sinners (I see people, but they look like trees, walking). The confession of our sins at initial faith for salvation is like saying, “I can see that I can’t see clearly;” or “I’m aware that the best of my righteousness is flawed.” Second, for you and me, as sinners already saved by God’s grace, we must recognize that we have not…
…already obtained… [nor are we] already perfect. Philippians 3:12
We still live in these corrupt bodies that are daily dying as we age, and hopefully, dying daily to self until the Lord Jesus returns. Though we are saved, we don’t know the end from the beginning, as God does. Until the Lord Jesus returns, we can only…
…see in a mirror dimly… 1 Corinthians 13:11
One day, however, by the nail-pierced hand of the Lord Jesus Christ leading us and healing us, we will see clearly. It is written,
Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when He appears we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him as He is. 1 John 3:2
Hallelujah! What a Savior! Until that day, beloved, trust the Lord Jesus in all things, and in every circumstance.