“I was reading in Mark’s gospel earlier this morning,” Stan commented, “and I saw a pretty good reflection of myself.”
“Yourself in Mark’s gospel?” I replied. “In what way?”
“Well,” Stan said, “I was reading the part near the end of the seventh chapter when Jesus healed a man who couldn’t hear and couldn’t speak. It was the same with me, except you could also add that I couldn’t see!”
“Couldn’t hear, see, or talk? How so?”
“I wasn’t physically deaf, blind, and unable to talk,” Stan replied, “but I certainly was all three of those things from the spiritual standpoint.”
“Oh,” I said. “Kind of like that wonderful hymn, ‘Amazing Grace.’ Is that it?”
“Yeah,” Stan replied, “John Newton got it right.”
Continuing, he added, “And, of course, Jesus got it right. He healed the man in Mark’s gospel and he healed me. Once I couldn’t see or hear Him, but now I can. Once I couldn’t speak to anyone about Him, but now I can.”
“Is that possible for anyone?” I asked.
“Based on what happened to a person I know who couldn’t see, hear, or speak as God intended,” Stan said with a smile, “I would say that if God can do that with me, He can do it with anyone! Give it a try!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly. Mark 7:35.
And Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John the things which you hear and see: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleaned and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.” Matthew 11:4-5.
And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that they may not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 2 Corinthians 4:3-4.
But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes. 1 John 2:11.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for opening me to see the truth of the gospel so I could accept it and know I will spend eternity in your presence when it’s time. Thank you, too, for opening me to see and to hear all you have for me so I will speak to others about the truth so they can claim all you have for them on both sides of eternity. I confess that too often I do not see and hear what you have for me because I choose not to look and listen. As well, I do not speak to others as you intend because I choose to be silent. Please forgive me, and please help me in following every step of your lead so I see, hear, and speak exactly as you intend. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Has God opened your eyes to see and your ears to hear about His free and gracious provision of life with Him in eternity when your time here is done? If He has, have you accepted that provision? If no, why? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with speaking to others about God’s provision for them? If you sense the need for change in how you see, hear, and speak about God and His provision, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 