179. Jesus Heals a Blind Beggar and His Companion

179. Jesus heals a blind beggar and his companion: Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43

Pray through this recorded Imaginative Contemplation of the blind beggar from the Mark account. (It is also online here - but I downloaded it and put it in my Dropbox in case it is ever removed from the online site.)

I have also made a script that you can read through. I have led several groups through this contemplation, and it is always so powerful. 

BACKGROUND

This miracle was performed as Jesus left the city of Jericho (Matthew 20:29) though He first encountered the men as He approached it (Luke 18:35). 

The Matthew account has two blind beggars, and the Mark and Luke accounts have just one. According to The Harmony of the Gospels, "the second and third gospels single out the more vocal of the two" (p.170). These blind beggars called Jesus the Son of David revealing that they knew that He was the long-anticipated Messiah. The religious leaders were blind, but these blind beggars could see. By the authority of God, He was able to heal them of their physical blindness.

REFLECTION

Spiritual blindness is the real point here. As I meditate on this passage this morning, I am asking God to reveal the "spiritual blind spots" in my life. Self-deception is so hard to detect because it is deception! Jeremiah 17:9 says:

   The heart is more deceitful than all else 

And is desperately sick;

Who can understand it? 

I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, 

Even to give to each man according to his ways, 

According to the results of his deeds.

This morning, I woke up at 5:20. My husband was still sleeping so I stumbled around in the dark looking for my bathrobe. Then I realized that I had my phone right in my hand, but I was not using it to guide me through the dark. Duh. I turned it on and found my bathrobe with ease. 

Are you stumbling in the dark and not allowing the Lord to reveal your blind spots? He promises to search your heart. He will illuminate all the dark places. Ask Him to do that for you.

APPLICATION

The light of the Lord is right there in our hands, but we often forget that He will shed light on everything, including our spiritual blindness. Ask Him to do that.

Blindfold yourself and try to get around. See how hard it is. Some of us are doing that spiritually, and we do not even realize it. 

Talk to Him about that. 

PRAYER

Jesus, bring light to our spiritual blindness. Thank You that Your miracles prove that You were the long-awaited Messiah. Help us to continue to see You with our hearts and tell others that You are the Messiah. Amen.