Tuesday, May 13, 2008

You know you need a break when...

DR: I just saw on Stacye's Facebook wall a quote from Calvin. I immediately thought, “John.” Nope. It was the “and Hobbes” one.

Seminary academia has officially taken my brain cells hostage.

It's what happens during finals week around here.

Sunday, May 11, 2008

Spiritual blindness

DR: I was reflecting recently on the Gospel of Mark, at the end of chapter 10, where Jesus Christ restores the sight of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar. A few thoughts came to mind which I recorded in my journal and came across again today; I had never before considered this paradigm:

How does a blind man realize he is blind? Is it because he is able to innately perceive his own blindness? What if a blind man was born into a cloistered community comprised exclusively of blind people, every one of whom had never left the confines of the compound or communicated with the outside world? Would any of them realize the others were blind, let alone themselves? Indeed, how could they? One’s blindness becomes evident only within a community of sight. If a blind man is to understand the reality of his sightless condition, he must first be made aware of it by one who sees.

There have been many instances in my own life where I have been blind to the truth of a given situation or been blind to the reality of my own sinfulness. Sin, pride, arrogance, and an unwillingness to see the truth...these (among others) can all be factors which prevent us from seeing things as they truly are.

I believe that only by being made aware of our blindness within a community of biblical sight and insight can we begin to perceive our condition. Receiving the Holy Spirit and studying God's Word in loving, honest, and accountable relationship with others helps the scales of our spiritual blindness fall away. Christ restores our sight, often by working through such means.


The blind beggar, Bartimaeus, helplessly pleas the merciful plea, "My Lord, let me see!" And Christ's response to him, as it is to us? "'Go, your faith has saved you.' And immediately, he regained his sight and began to follow Jesus on the journey." (Mark 10:51-52)

Jesus says, “I came into this world for judgment, in order that those who do not see will see and those who do see will become blind” (John 9:39).

Amen.

God's love and richest blessings to you,
Don and the girls