July 13 - He Came to Jesus

Mark 10:46-52

And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. (Mark 10:50 ESV)

Blind Bartemeus sat by the road begging until the day he heard that Jesus was to pass by. It was an important day. He called for The Lord and despite the attempted interference of the mob he was able to connect with him. Jesus called to him.

It is when Jesus called to him that Blind Bart did something that made all the difference. Forgetting his disabling circumstances, the blind man threw aside his trappings, jumped up, and went to Jesus. Then Jesus healed him, and he immediately began to follow Christ.

I am convinced that often when we are in life's difficult times that Jesus is calling to us. He is calling, and all we must do is throw off some of life's trappings and run to him. Sometimes the faith of a motion made toward God is all it takes to change a circumstance.

July 12 - Seeing Jesus

Matthew 20:29-34

They said to him, "Lord, let our eyes be opened." (Matthew 20:33 ESV)

The two blind men sat on the roadside, probably much like they always did, and heard the crowd stirring. Jesus was passing by. They had heard about Jesus. He was the miracle worker. The guy who had been causing such a big stir with his healings and controversial teachings.

The blind men began to call out to Jesus. The crowd tried to deter them and silence them, but they would not be quieted. They cried out all the louder. And, Jesus took notice. He stopped. He asked what they wanted. They answered. And he aHealed them.

Now, imagine you were one of those guys. The first sight that you had perhaps ever seen was the image if the one that had enough mercy to reach down and touch you and heal. The first face you would eve know. The first bit of light to ever penetrate your world of perpetual darkness was that of Christ Jesus.

Much in the way the miraculous healing changed their physical blindness it changed their spiritual blindness as well. From that day forward they followed Jesus. Jesus does the same for us as well. He opens our souls to see him clearly. He opens our hearts to love clearly. He opens up our strength so that we can serve fully. He takes us from a world of broken darkness and despair and interrupts it with his wonderfully marvelous light. And it all starts by seeing, truly seeing, who he is. It all starts by seeing Jesus.