Then His Eyes Were Opened

He saw they came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 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?”

He looked up and said, “I see people; they look like trees walking around.”

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. Jesus sent him home, saying, “Don’t even go into the village.”

Mark 8:22-26

We read the story of Jesus healing a man born blind. Jesus first took the man away from the village. Then He spit on the man’s eyes and “put his hands on him.” The man said he now saw people who looked “like trees walking around.” Then Jesus touched the man’s eyes again, and this time he saw “everything clearly.”

In His ministry, Jesus words and actions often amazed and baffled the crowd and His followers. There is no doubt this two-part miracle caused some confusion. Why not immediately heal the man?

We don’t know why. But Jesus knew what the man – and the disciples who viewed his healing – needed in that moment. And He know what we need today to draw us closer in our relationship with Him. Though we don’t always understand, we can trust that God is working in our lives and the lives of our loved ones. And He will give us the strength, courage, and clarity we need to persevere in following Him.

Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus.

Our Daily Bread – July 24, 2018