"A SECOND TOUCH"
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. (Mark 8:25)
The healing of the blind man from Bethsaida is a unique miracle because Jesus healed him in stages. He began by touching the man's eyes with spit-moistened fingers and then asked if he could see anything. With some glimmerings of sight, the man answered as best he could. "I see people; they look like trees walking around." The second touch of Jesus dispersed the remaining darkness. The man's vision was restored and he saw clearly.
Like this man's healing, much of what we understand about our faith life comes gradually, especially when we are caught in a crosswind. Life's crises stir up emotional and spiritual debris, interfering with our ability to make sense of things, including certain assurances found in the scriptures.
The apostle Paul wrote that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him. In my years in funeral service, I heard Romans 8:28 quoted many times in many circumstances, some unspeakably tragic. "We must believe that God will bring something good out of your loss." Though true and well-intentioned, the assurance seemed to provide little comfort, a conclusion I reached after hearing many pain-filled responses. "I can only hope that's true." "I guess that's true. I just don't see how."
God does bring life-changing good out of tragedy, but consoling someone with that assurance calls for sensitivity and caution. Words meant to encourage can be perceived as empty religious platitudes and seen as minimizing a crisis that is tragic and painful. God worked much good through the healing of the man from Bethsaida, but it does not negate the tragedy that was his blindness.
The unfolding work of God is carried out over time. Likewise, our limited understanding of his ways is gained gradually. It is a miracle that takes places in stages. Like the man from Bethsaida who looked up at Jesus, we can always trust God to begin dispersing the darkness by giving us a second touch.
The healing of the blind man from Bethsaida is a unique miracle because Jesus healed him in stages. He began by touching the man's eyes with spit-moistened fingers and then asked if he could see anything. With some glimmerings of sight, the man answered as best he could. "I see people; they look like trees walking around." The second touch of Jesus dispersed the remaining darkness. The man's vision was restored and he saw clearly.
Like this man's healing, much of what we understand about our faith life comes gradually, especially when we are caught in a crosswind. Life's crises stir up emotional and spiritual debris, interfering with our ability to make sense of things, including certain assurances found in the scriptures.
The apostle Paul wrote that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love him. In my years in funeral service, I heard Romans 8:28 quoted many times in many circumstances, some unspeakably tragic. "We must believe that God will bring something good out of your loss." Though true and well-intentioned, the assurance seemed to provide little comfort, a conclusion I reached after hearing many pain-filled responses. "I can only hope that's true." "I guess that's true. I just don't see how."
God does bring life-changing good out of tragedy, but consoling someone with that assurance calls for sensitivity and caution. Words meant to encourage can be perceived as empty religious platitudes and seen as minimizing a crisis that is tragic and painful. God worked much good through the healing of the man from Bethsaida, but it does not negate the tragedy that was his blindness.
The unfolding work of God is carried out over time. Likewise, our limited understanding of his ways is gained gradually. It is a miracle that takes places in stages. Like the man from Bethsaida who looked up at Jesus, we can always trust God to begin dispersing the darkness by giving us a second touch.
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