Through your eyes

Teresa of Ávila wrote: "Christ has no body now on earth but yours, no hands but yours, no feet but yours. Yours are the eyes through which Christ's compassion is to look out to the earth."

It is her last statement that I feel is most relevant for this day and age. We are being called to look out into our communities with compassion and to help others encounter Jesus.

"When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick" - Matthew 14:14

Did you notice how Jesus 'saw' the crowd - he looked into their souls and hearts. He had compassion on them.

What would that mean for us today?

Living in grace

D3LM3

We want to see!

In this passage from Matthew 20, we note that Jesus asks two blind men an interesting question: "What do you want me to do for you?" Our natural reaction is to think: "Of course that is what they would like - how can Jesus ask such a silly question?!" 

However, maybe there is more to this than we first think: 

"As Jesus and the disciples left the town of Jericho, a large crowd followed behind. Two blind men were sitting beside the road. When they heard that Jesus was coming that way, they began shouting, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

“Be quiet!” the crowd yelled at them.

But they only shouted louder, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

When Jesus heard them, he stopped and called, “What do you want me to do for you?” 

 “Lord,” they said, “we want to see!” - Matthew 20:29-33

Is it possible that what they truly want is more than just their eyesight, but rather they want to see "Spiritually?" Maybe they have lived with broken dreams and promises their entire lives. Maybe they have felt spiritually short-changed, and they are seeking something deeper. Perhaps they realise that Jesus has the answer for them, and this is why they call out to him.

What do you think?

Helen Keller - The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.

Living in Grace

D3LM3

God in action

I was struck by how active God was in the life of the Israelites. I don't think anything has changed in God's nature and so we hold onto the promise that Jesus is active in our lives too. Of course there are times when we struggle to see this and to remember, but it is then that we need to be reminded. Take these verses as an example:

"He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness..." - Deuteronomy 8:15-16

Have you noticed God's activity in your life of late? What has God been showing you?

Living in Grace

D3LM3

27 - Seeing but not understanding

 ^"After they had nailed him to the cross, the soldiers gambled for his clothes by throwing dice. Then they sat around and kept guard as he hung there. A sign was fastened above Jesus’ head, announcing the charge against him. It read: “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.” - Matthew 27:35-37

It struck me today that the soldiers we so close to Jesus that they could almost reach out from where they were sitting and touch him. That is close! So, so close. The tragedy is that even though they sat at the feet of the Messiah, Jesus meant nothing to them. They saw Jesus, but didn't understand who he was.

The soldiers had their own gods - Jupiter, Mars, money, power and position. Who needs a revolutionary as a Saviour, when you can have the whole world in your hands? 

Unless of course, Jesus offers you a new Life, Kingdom and Future! #JustSaying

Living in Grace
D3LM3