Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 22: Year 1
Morning, Psalms 140 and 142; Evening, Psalms 141 and 143:1to11;
2nd Kings 23:36 to 24:17; 1st Corinthians 12:12 to 26; Matthew 9:27 to 34:
“As Jesus went on from there, two blind men followed him, crying loudly, ‘Have mercy on us, Son of David!’ When he entered the house, the blind men came to him; and Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then he touched their eyes and said, ‘According to your faith let it be done to you.’ And their eyes were opened. Then Jesus sternly ordered them, ‘See that no one knows of this:” (Matthew 927 to 30)
Can you imagine being blind? Can you imagine being blind and trying to follow someone? And can you imagine the blind leading the blind? Nevertheless, they did and were rewarded for their tenacity. But pay close attention to what happened.
Jesus asked them if they “believed” he (Jesus), was able to do this? They said yes. They had faith in Jesus. Jesus then touched their eyes and restored their sight while saying that in accordance with their faith, their sight is restored.
Here again our Lord Jesus works with what we have inside of us for our own benefit. With little or no faith, we cannot be healed or cured, unless of course the faith in the Lord, and the desire for our health comes from someone who loves us and pleads with Jesus on our behalf. Our Lord Jesus will take what is good in us and drive out of us what is bad. Jesus connects what we believe with what we need. Thank You Lord Jesus.
I too am still stumbling along following my Lord Jesus and continually asking for more and more sight. Join me, won’t you? Thank You Lord Jesus. Thank you for love; thank you for rest; and thank you for more sight into what our lives are all about. I pray that our faith in your ability will increase in us, in order that you may touch us in ways that improve our ability to see the love of God, and help us to love our brothers and sisters, and all creation.
“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
onewhoponders 