Daily Bread 2010 - Mark 8
Daily Bread 2010 – Mark 8
The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
24He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."
25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."
By looking at the details of this story we might infer several aspects of the power of healing prayer. First, when the blind man is led to Jesus, he leads him outside the village to pray for him. Jesus may be doing this to keep his anonymity, as when he heals someone several more flock to him.
Also, he uses the interesting technique of spitting on the man’s eyes and putting his hands on him. We know back then there were many eye diseases and often “salves” were applied for healing of these diseases. Jesus also checks in with the man to see how the healing is going. After all, how can he know if the healing is working, unless he asks.
Secondly, apparently the man is partially, but not fully healed. Jesus’ question reveals this, and so Jesus repeats what he did the first time. And this time the blind man sees everything clearly. And again Jesus tells him not to go back to the village fearing the word will get out.
As we pray for people today for healing, it would be helpful as we are praying to check in with them to see if anything is happening. Especially when we are praying for emotional healing, oftentimes these prayers can bring up many thoughts and emotions. As we help them process what God might be doing in the prayer, we can know where to focus the prayers.
It is also teaches us that just because someone is not healed right away, does not mean we should not continue to persevere in praying for healing. As we pray for someone for healing we should never doubt that God is not doing something even though the complete healing may not happen right away. Even in the act of trusting God in prayer and showing the love of God to the person being prayed for administers part of the healing God intends.
Although how God heals is often a mystery, and why some are healed and not others can be a challenge to the faithful, we do well to remember the adage, “When we pray for everyone some are healed, when we pray for no one, no one is healed.”
Prayer: God of healing, give us faith to administer the healing gifts you have given us as an evidence of your kingdom coming here on earth as it is in heaven. We thank you for the ultimate healing Jesus brought us on the cross when we died for our sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Healing of a Blind Man at Bethsaida
22They came to Bethsaida, and some people brought a blind man and begged Jesus to touch him. 23He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village. When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
24He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."
25Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes. Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26Jesus sent him home, saying, "Don't go into the village."
By looking at the details of this story we might infer several aspects of the power of healing prayer. First, when the blind man is led to Jesus, he leads him outside the village to pray for him. Jesus may be doing this to keep his anonymity, as when he heals someone several more flock to him.
Also, he uses the interesting technique of spitting on the man’s eyes and putting his hands on him. We know back then there were many eye diseases and often “salves” were applied for healing of these diseases. Jesus also checks in with the man to see how the healing is going. After all, how can he know if the healing is working, unless he asks.
Secondly, apparently the man is partially, but not fully healed. Jesus’ question reveals this, and so Jesus repeats what he did the first time. And this time the blind man sees everything clearly. And again Jesus tells him not to go back to the village fearing the word will get out.
As we pray for people today for healing, it would be helpful as we are praying to check in with them to see if anything is happening. Especially when we are praying for emotional healing, oftentimes these prayers can bring up many thoughts and emotions. As we help them process what God might be doing in the prayer, we can know where to focus the prayers.
It is also teaches us that just because someone is not healed right away, does not mean we should not continue to persevere in praying for healing. As we pray for someone for healing we should never doubt that God is not doing something even though the complete healing may not happen right away. Even in the act of trusting God in prayer and showing the love of God to the person being prayed for administers part of the healing God intends.
Although how God heals is often a mystery, and why some are healed and not others can be a challenge to the faithful, we do well to remember the adage, “When we pray for everyone some are healed, when we pray for no one, no one is healed.”
Prayer: God of healing, give us faith to administer the healing gifts you have given us as an evidence of your kingdom coming here on earth as it is in heaven. We thank you for the ultimate healing Jesus brought us on the cross when we died for our sins. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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