Faith is not blind
(Lent as vision correction)
(This message is also available at: http://pastorjimdorton.blogspot.com/)
We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, for we walk by faith, not by sight. Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5: 6-7
There is a phrase, often used in Christian circles, which I find woefully inaccurate. That phrase is “blind faith”.
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!” 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 20:29-30
Why did these men want their sight? Experts say that when someone is deprived of their sight, then their other senses become heightened, allowing them to get by in the world. But they knew, they knew, that there was another way, a better way, to move through this world. And they knew that this Jesus was the One who could provide.
Blindness to sight is like sight to faith. It’s not that we are blindly jumping off a cliff (Indiana Jones notwithstanding) with some vague hope that God will catch us. No! Faith is a sense better than sight! Without faith, we are blindly stumbling through this world.
Further, even though we say things like “seeing is believing”, we really know that our vision is limited and flawed. We know that microscopes can show us things that are right in front of our eyes that we cannot see with the naked eye. Hold up a prism and see the color bands unseen otherwise. Likewise, the world of angels and demons and principalities, of God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit, exists all around us, unseen by the naked eye.
But, seen by faith.
Faith is not blind. Faith is better than sight.
A child walking in a crowd, unable to see anything past a few inches in front of him, so as not to get lost, clings tightly, with all he has, to his father’s hand, for his father can see above and beyond the crowd, and will always safely lead his child.
In times when we are shaken, hurting, and afraid, faith is holding, with all we have, with heart, soul, mind, and strength, to the hand of the Father, who sees all, and will always safely lead his child.
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you seek him with all your heart and with all your soul. (Deuteronomy 4:29)
Lord willing; see you tomorrow, Pastor Jim
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