Sight

DEVOTION

THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

SIGHT

Matt 20:29-34

29 As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. 30 Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" 31 The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" 32 Jesus stopped and called them. "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. 33 "Lord," they answered, "we want our sight." 34 Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

NIV

“Once I was blind, but know I can see”.  A famous line from that well sung song, “Amazing Grace”. This is the story in this narrative. Again it is interesting that Jesus asks them what he can do for them. Knowing he is Jesus, divine in nature, although at this time he is also fully man, he surely already knew what their request was going to be. Yet he asks them so they can verbalize their need. When they do, he shows them the compassion he is so filled with for those in need. Although this is a narrative about physical sight being given to the blind, we can also apply this to our spiritual sight. Just as the writer of those lines, we were once blind spiritually, but now we can see. All the truths of scripture were unseen by us for so many years, but once we accepted Jesus into our hearts and minds he sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and lead us into all truth. God does not intent to hide the truth from us, he gives us sight. But it also might be that we need to ask for him to give us our spiritual sight. It might be possible for a believer to still be unable to see all the truth of God, if they do not seek it from him. Sometimes we explain away that which we cannot see as a mystery, which is not intended for us to know. But then we would have to say that the Holy Spirit leads us into some truth, not all truth. But the words of Jesus ring loud and clear.

John 16:13-15

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth . He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.

NIV

He will make it known to us. All that is of Jesus is of God and the Spirit will make it all known to us. If the words of Jesus are true, which we absolutely know are, then there should be absolutely no mysteries left. In addition the Spirit brings gifts with him. If he is dwelling within us, which again we are assured he is, then his gifts are within us as well. How could he keep his gifts from us when he brings them with to dwell within us? These gifts include the word of knowledge and the word of wisdom as well as the gift of discernment. Once we were blind, but know we can see, if only we ask for it. The gifts may well be, like any gift we give, wrapped up, but when we ask for them, when we ask to see, the Spirit unwraps them for us and gives freely all the truth there is.