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BETHSAIDA
Place (House) of Fishing
- A city of Galilee (Mark 6:45)
- Home of Andrew, Peter & Philip (John 1:44, 12:21)
- Blind man healed (Mark 8:22-26)
- Near the feeding of 5,000 (Luke 9:10-17)
- Fortified by Solomon (1 Kings 9:15-19)
- Unbelief of, denounced (Matthew 11:21, Luke 10:13)
"Then He put His hands on his eyes again and
made him look up,
and he was restored and saw everything clearly" (Mark 8:25)
"He was restored and saw everything clearly"
(Mark 8:25). For years, I attempted to walk with the Son of God, and yet I strained
and stretched, twisted and turned; trying so hard to SEE clearly the things of God.
Someone would die, a sickness would occur, a person I cared for, decided to not
like me - there was so MUCH I could not see or understand, and I tended to grieve about
life and how I fit into it. We tend to live our lives as a people of quiet
(sometimes not so quiet) desperation.
The phrase we used to use, is "all fingernails and teeth," to describe the
person who is clinging to life, or a part of it. Upset all the time.
Always seemingly on the edge of losing a job, a marriage, a friendship - life
itself. We sometimes wonder about that person, "Are they a Christian, or
not?" And we often secretly worry about ourselves, "Am I a part of Him, or
not?" (We’re saved by His grace; not by success in this world).
Sometimes, we just need another touch from God. They brought a blind man to Jesus
(Mark 8:22-26), and begged Him to touch the man. Jesus took the man by the hand, and
led him out of the town. Surprisingly, He spit on the man’s eyes, and then put
His hands on him, asking "him if he saw anything?"
The guy replied, "I see men like trees, walking. He could now see, but not very well. Jesus put His hands on the
man’s eyes again, and made him look up, and he was restored and saw everyone clearly."
A lot of people are in that very place, one way or another, and have been there, for a
long, long time. We can see, but everything in life is unclear. We sort of
understand what it’s about, but not really. I notice with great interest, that
other people were healed by Jesus instantly, without all the spit, the second touch, the
looking up, and so on. Your walk will not be precisely like mine, nor mine like
yours. You are unique - You are "fearfully and
wonderfully made." God will touch you in a way that is appropriate - for
you.
Someone else might see something more clearly than you, and you will probably perceive
something better than the rest of us. We all are given gifts of God, and they are
not the same for everyone. We are blind, each in our own way, and we need each
other. That is a great truth, about life, and about our walk with Him. We will
NEED Him, and we NEED other people. If we think we know it all, we miss a lot.
To understand our need, we must open doors to others, that can lead to love.
Do you recognize that you have a need for more in life? Are you hungry for even
more of Him? Ask Him. He who said "seek and you
shall find," has a perfect "second touch"
for you. "Look up" and receive, from our
Savior and Lord.
Father, we are so hungry to SEE, to understand. Everything and everyone around us
is unclear. But it is in NOT always knowing, that we come to You. We recognize
that WE contribute to the confusion of life, by protecting ourselves, by concealing
ourselves from those around. Lord, let us be OPEN to You, right now, and take the
risk, that we may receive You completely, and be made whole. It is not knowledge we
are after, but faith - we need more of You. Comfort us, Lord Jesus, and fill
us with Your Holy Spirit. Let us TRUST in YOU – forever. In Jesus Name.
Amen.
Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org
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