Matthew 9:27
‘As Jesus went on from there, two men who were blind followed Him, crying out, “Have mercy on us, Son of David!”’
This was a great day for these guys. I’m not sure if they’ve heard of Jesus. Probably so. Jesus was performing healings that were talked about everywhere. All of the sudden Jesus is passing by. They follow Him. All of us have needs, but these guys have a big one. They seize the moment and go to the house where Jesus enters. I’m not sure if they ask to be healed. The first words come from Jesus, “Do you believe I can do this?”
Our relationship with God requires faith. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God. For anyone who approaches Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.” They wouldn’t have followed Jesus and approached Him if they didn’t believe. In an even more forward move they knock on the door and interrupt what may have been happening there.
I’m 45 years into walking with Christ. It feels like believing is all I know. I’m used to believing that He is good and wants good things for me. I didn’t always know that. My early years in Christ had some difficulties. I was raised in a church that emphasized sacrifice. I felt as if I couldn’t do enough to please Him. If I were on vacation I felt that I should be serving Him some how. I would feel guilty if I didn’t. There was much guilt.
About five years into being a believer I learned about grace. I couldn’t believe my ears. 2 Corinthians 9:7 had an impact on me, “Each one should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not out of regret or compulsion. For God loves a cheerful giver.” My whole life was out of compulsion. The giving was my time. I would serve because I thought I was supposed to. I didn’t know I had a choice. His grace began to seep in and penetrate all of my life.
I began to see Him as a loving Father. This was quite foreign as my father passed away when I was two years old. I got a step father when I was eight, but he was disapproving. That’s what I was used to. But now I was learning that He loved me. I began to see His love through good christian men. Those who were very fatherly. Dick Kopp was a big one. An older gentleman at church who loved us. Then there was Brad, a fellow counselor who loved everyone. They were glad to see me, were interested in me and so on. God was like that, but far more.
Hellen Keller was a blind and deaf woman who had a tenacious tutor when she was young. How can one teach someone that can’t hear or see. The teacher continued. Eventually there was a break through. Hellen learned one thing that opened the door. It was like a flood gate ha opened. All sorts of learning and connections were made after that. I felt the same way. Once I learned about His grace and love it was a game changer.
Back to our story. These blind men believed that God could heal them. They put in the effort to follow Jesus. They may have known the road, it’s challenging for a blind person to get around. They may have asked for assistance. Then they intruded in the home where Jesus was. They risked rejection.
They approached God with a need. We all have wants and needs. Some of our needs are desperate. Those are the ones that drive us to God. Even those who don’t believe may be driven to God by a need. He will manufacture circumstances that motivate us to go to Him.
Many don’t go to God because of their life style. They may be involved in beliefs and practices that God disapproves of. God may answer a prayer or two, but if they don’t change their ways He won’t answer.
God wants us to share His message and His values. Some of that can be difficult. However, because we know God we can share how He will help them. If it be with the difficulty of the concept or the behavior. He can help. All of God’s ways are good. If He wants us to change something it’s because it’s for our best. What we are hanging on to harms or will harm us. We might not feel it now, but we eventually will.
John 8:34 gives us some insight, ‘Jesus replied, “Truly, truly, I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.”‘ No one likes to think of themselves as enslaved. Few would believe they are enslaved. Which brings up another aspect about sin, it’s deception. 2 Corinthians 11:3 says, “I am afraid, however, that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may be led astray from your simple and pure devotion to Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 2:10,11 adds to that, “and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie”.
There it is. If one believes something that is against scripture or lives in a manner that is in disobedience to Him, then God allows them to be deceived. They become enslaved to those things and they can’t see the downside. God will still bringing things up from time to time to try to draw them back. If they continue to ignore Him their hearts become hardened and their thoughts and life style becomes cemented, making change nearly impossible.
Lord, thank You for meeting our needs. Help us to be dependent on You. Help us to obey when we hear You, so we won’t be deceived by sin.