If They Could See

Friday, May 26, 2023

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: James 1:19

So then, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath;

Memory of the Month: John 10:27-28

27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: 28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Today's reading: 1 CHRONICLES 28-29 JOHN 9:24-41

If They Could See

He walked into the party and greeted some friends and talked a little as he looked around the room. His whole world stopped when he saw her. She was perfect in every way, he thought. Smitten as he was he could not leave it alone. He had quite a reputation as a ladies' man so the young lady was leary of him. He kept on and on and finally she allowed him to give her a ride home. (It was 1916 in Allen, Texas and this man had a new car.)

He stopped the car in front of her house and as she was stepping out she asked, "Lester, are you a Christian?"

"Yes", he answered back quickly.

"I don't think you are-you're too blasted mean". And with that she slammed his door and ran into her house.

At seventeen, the man who would be my mother's father after he married that young lady, drove his new car back out to the farm and went upstairs to bed. As he looked at the dark ceiling, he gave his heart to Jesus. He died at 86 as one of the most humble, Christians I have ever known.

It is true today. There are many who claim to be 'Christian' or 'believers'. Over 70% of people in this country say they believe God exists.

Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains."John 9:41

What Jesus meant was that if the Pharisees, or anyone else who is lost would admit their blind state-that they cannot be healed of their blindness without believing in Him, their sin would be forgiven-"you would not be guilty of sin". As it is, many will not admit that their knowledge of God is just 'worldly'. They know 'of' God the way they know of a foreign land that exists to them only on a map. Even if they visit, they will never know the country until they live there.

My grandfather knew, in his case, that if it was evident to someone else, it was true. His heart was not 'right'. He could not just claim to 'be'. He had to really be redeemed.

The world around us chooses to live 'blindly-seeing'. The truth is here. They have to see it in us and we have to speak when we get the chance. But-it is all in God's time and by His leading.

How far behind we must be...

Love, live, speak, love...

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

Burden me for the 'blindly-seeing' around me. Let them see in me Your mercy and love and hear from me Your grace.

Great God of salvation and grace!

In the name of Jesus,

Amen