How many times did Jesus confront individuals and crowds of people because they...we...need signs and miracle to trust his Word? I don’t have that answer simply because the answer requires too much work. For Jesus to say it ONCE is enough for me to ask the Prayer Question, “Do I need a sign or miracle to hear God’s Word...to trust the Word Incarnate...to live with the desire to love God...to believe Jesus is God?”
That ONCE is Mark 8: 11 & 12. I break everytime I hear, “(Jesus) sighed from the depth of his spirit.”
Thomas Jefferson wrote a bible. He deleted all signs and miracles from his text so he would concentrate only on Jesus’ message. Find a copy. What do you think? What do you feel about Jefferson’s efforts?
Yet, I love the miracles!
If it IS NOT about the miracle...
If it IS NOT about the miracle...
Find, read and pray with Mark 8: 22 -26
When they arrived at Bethsaida,
they brought to him a blind man
and begged him to touch him.
He took the blind man
by the hand and led him
outside the village.
Putting spittle on his eyes
he laid his hands on him
and asked,
"Do you see anything?"
Looking up he replied,
"I see people looking like trees and walking."
Then he laid hands on his eyes
a second time
and he saw clearly;
his sight was restored
and he could see everything distinctly.
Then he sent him home
and said,
"Do not even go into the village."
Where are you in your heart reading this again?
How high does the
‘infant in (my) womb leap for joy upon hearing (this)?’
Luke 1: 39.
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.
Wow! Jesus calls me to spend time with him...
just the two of us...
away from everyone,
“This is between you and me.”
Putting spittle on his eyes
he laid his hands on him
I use this line so many times when praying about Trinitarian Apologetics.
Jeremiah 18
Lamentations 4
Isaiah 64
Romans 9
What? God is the potter and I am the clay…
A potter repairs a crack, if you will, in the vessel
with spittle...
with mud (John’s Gospel, Luke’s Gospel)...
with slip.
Jesus is God for me here!
"Do you see anything?"
I cry. What a beautiful Prayer Question! Even healing me, God makes no assumptions...God asks me how things are working out...God wants me to be involved.
Looking up he replied,
"I see people looking like trees and walking."
This cracks me up! “well, it’s not exactly what I was expecting.”
I hear I can tell God what its really like for me…
Talk about freedom, huh?
Jesus didn’t walk away. Jesus didn’t blame, “Well, your faith isn’t strong enough.”
God doesn’t walk away. God doesn’t blame.
Then he laid hands on his eyes
a second time
I cry. I can see Jesus scrambling.
I cry. I can hear Jesus saying, “Wait! Let me try something else!”
I cry. I can feel Jesus’ exasperation.
Pray with me, huh?
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2 comments:
Act 4:29-30 "And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness, as you stretch forth (your) hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus." As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness."
The new born Church saw a place for miracles and power and prayed for it unabashedly. VENI, Creator Spiritus,mentes tuorum visita,
imple superna gratia quae tu creasti pectora.
thank you joann...
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