He touched their eyes

He touched their eyes

Scripture:-

As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

The crowd rebuked them and told them to be quiet, but they shouted all the louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. “Lord,” they answered, “we want our sight.” Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight and followed him Matthew 20:29-34

Observation:-

Great, loud shouts filled the air to the consternation of the Jericho crowd. “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The two blind men screamed at the top of their lungs, louder and louder. The irritated crowd rebuked them over their incessant noise, but they would not be denied. Here was the only opportunity they had to receive their sight. In all likelihood, they would not ever have this chance again. Their disability was against them. The crowd was against them. But they did not give up. They called and they called, confident that Jesus could heal them if He would only stop and notice them.

Sure enough, the Lord stopped and called them to Him. “What do you want me to do for you?” The crowd hushed to a whisper, even as the blind men asked desperately “Lord, we want our sight”. And the Lord had compassion on them and touched their eyes. The crowd had no compassion for them. They cared not whether the blind men could be healed or not. They were interested in their own selves, their own needs. The blind men were totally unimportant to them. But not to the Lord. The Lord cared for them. The Lord identified with them. Tdhe Lord felt their suffering, their helplessness with them.

The Lord could have healed them with a Word, but He chose to heal them with a touch. When God touched man, divine power flowed through His hands to their eyes, bringing complete healing. They received their sight immediately and followed Jesus. Unlike the 9 lepers who went away and forgot about Jesus, these two blind men immediately set out to follow the Lord.

Application

Let us pray to be more compassionate like Jesus, who cared for the least of society – the disabled, the disadvantaged, the weak and feeble. He felt their pain, their helplessness, their frustrations. He came so that He may walk among us and be one of us, in all our frailties and weaknesses. Blessed be His holy name.

Let us also learn from the blind men who sought Jesus with such desperation and hope. Their actions proved their faith, for they did not stop crying until the Lord acknowledged them. How hard do we pray? Are all we have half-hearted prayers and boring, routine prayers? How much time do we spend seeking the Lord, enjoying His presence?

The touch of one human being to another has great value. It introduces a bond, a connection, a sharing. In the act of laying on of hands, we act as a conduit bringing God’s healing or blessing or protection through prayer to the person we are praying for.

Remember how the blind men immediately followed Jesus after their healing. The Lord heals us and blesses us for a purpose, to glorify His name! We are not healed or blessed for our own sake alone.

Physically, most of us can see well, although many of us may need spectacles. Nevertheless, we can be spiritually blind, blind in our perceptions, blind in our thinking, blind to the needs of others. We too need to ask Jesus to open our spiritual eyes and help us see.

Prayer:

We praise thee Father in Heaven for the glory of Thy name. Just as You are compassionate and gracious, help us be compassionate and gracious to others. Forgive our apathy, our blindness, our lack of concern for the many who suffer even among us. Change our hearts that we may see those in need, and be motivated to pray for them, to help them, to hope the best for them.

Help us seek You earnestly and passionately, Lord, Give us fresh hearts, fresh vision, Be with us O Lord for we are Your channels. Let Your power flow though our hands that we might  pass Your blessings to many. Let us always remember Your great sacrifice for us, that we might also follow You. May Your name be praised O Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.