All In!

Mark 8:²³ “So Jesus guided the man out of the village, away from the crowd; and He spat on the man’s eyes and touched them.” Jesus: What do you see? (Voice)

Sometimes our surroundings are unhealthy, and they create spiritual blindness. This is huge! The Passion Translation puts it this way, “So Jesus led him, as his sighted guide, outside the village…” To heal us, sometimes God has to jolt us out of our unhealthy surroundings that are creating spiritual blindness. Sometimes God needs to put us in new circumstances to build our faith. Remember the story in Genesis 37, the story of Joseph, God allowed Joseph to be sold as a slave eventually landing in Egypt as a prisoner. Like Joseph, sometimes we are on our way to the palace, but we need to go through the prison. However, do not be like the young immigrant from yesterday’s story who refused to let go of the prison when it was time to go. We should be able to embrace what God has in mind.

Sometimes, the village that God needs to take us out of is the village of our thinking. We have been taught to think in a certain way based on how our culture has conditioned us. God needs to take us out of the village of our thinking so that He can change our lives. Sometimes, the village of our thinking is a village of control. For some people, it is a village of confusion and for some, it is a village of disorder. Everything must be in disarray before they can function. If you give them a clean workspace, they must scatter it before they can begin to work. Guess what? They do not do it deliberately. For some, it is a village of association. But whatever village it is, God will take you out in the Name of Jesus [say Amen].

Mark 8:²³ “… Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?” Jesus had to do what only Jesus could do, spitting on the man’s eyes, laying His hands on his eyes, and healing him. But the man had to do what only he could do. When Jesus asked him, “Can you see anything now?” If the man kept his face straight with his eyes shut and his head still, the miracle would not progress to the next touch. The man needed to open his eyes and look around and that is so instructive. A lot of times, God has done what only He can do, but we refuse to do what we can do which is to open our eyes and look around. God will do what we cannot do, we need to do what God will not do for us.

We see from this scripture that Jesus uses everything in His arsenal to save us, deliver us, and demonstrate His love towards us. Jesus had just arrived at Bethsaida when they brought the man to Him. Yet Jesus took the man by the hand and led him outside of the village. That took some effort. Imagine someone going to his or her Pastor for prayers and the Pastor starts spitting on the person. That will make news on social media – #thespittingPastor. Still, Jesus put His reputation on the line to heal this man. The Lord will use everything in His arsenal to save us, deliver us, show that He loves us, and give us the breakthrough that we require.

Prayer: Father, I am grateful for Your love and commitment to me, in Jesus Name. Amen!