A lot of us have experienced similar problems where God has answered our request in different ways. We see this when we look at the miracles of Jesus healing the blind. All of them were blind, but Jesus healed them in different ways and required different things from them. This week, these accounts are taken from all four gospels.
Let’s start in Matthew. Here is the short version. This story is about two blind men who followed Jesus and shouted: “Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” and they said, “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.” “Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” Then their eyes were opened, and they could see it! Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” (Matthew 9:27-30:NLT).
Jesus asked them if they had faith in Him to heal them. They said yes. Jesus touched their eyes, and they could see. (Matthew)
The gospel of Mark tells us another story about a blind man.
“When they arrived at Bethsaida, some people brought a blind man to Jesus, and they begged him to touch the man and heal him. Jesus took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village. Then, spitting on the man’s eyes, he laid his hands on him and asked, “Can you see anything now?”
The man looked around. “Yes,” he said, “I see people, but I can’t see them very clearly. They look like trees walking around.” Then Jesus placed his hands on the man’s eyes again, and his eyes were opened. His sight was completely restored, and he could see everything clearly. Jesus sent him away, saying, “Don’t go back into the village on your way home.” Mark 8:22-26;NLT
Jesus led the blind man out of the town. Jesus spat on the man’s eye and touched him. The man could not see clearly. Jesus touched the man’s eyes again, then he could see. (Mark)
Luke 18:35-43 tells us,
“As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.” (NLT)
The blind man cries out to Jesus for mercy. Jesus hears him. Jesus asked what the man wanted. The man tells Jesus. Instantly, the man could see. (Luke)
In the gospel of John,
There is a man who was blind since birth. There is a question of why is this man blind. Because of sin? Was it his parents sins or the man himself? Neither according to Jesus. The man is blind in order that God might be glorified.
Jesus spit on the ground. Made some mud and spread it over the man’s eyes. Jesus then tells the man to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. The man went and washed. When he came back he could see! (John 9:1-12;NLT)
Jesus makes mud out of saliva and spreads it over the man’s eyes. Jesus tells the man to go and wash it off. The man obeys, and he can see. (John)
As you can see, Jesus’ process for healing them was different. Just like in our lives, Jesus answers our prayers differently. All of which bring glory to His name. All of the blind men had to display or demonstrate faith to acknowledge that they believed that Jesus could heal them.
Whether it was verbalizing by saying yes Jesus could heal them, asking for Jesus to heal them, the physical touch of Jesus, or the act of obedience and washing their face.
God requires us to act on our faith. His requirement is different for each of us, but our faith helps us.
What is God asking you to do to show your faith in Him? I would love to hear about it. Leave a comment or drop me an email.
This is a great message of the gospels tying together the story of Jesus and how He healed those blind men. A sweet reminder that Gods timing and method may be different for us all, but oh is it just what He prescribes. Thank you for putting this together Dwan!
So grateful. God has so graciously shown us who He is. I am learning each day to trust Him.
Dear Dwan,
This lesson is a great reminder for me of how God does respond to my prayers. But His response is done according to His timing and His way. Also, His response allows me to mature and to become stable in my faith. I am working on this growth.
I agree. God in His sovereign will responses in a way that brings glory to His name. A lot of times that looks different in our eyes, but we learn to trust Him more.