Seeing Clearly
It is estimated that there are approximately 10 million people in the U.S. and upwards of 36 million people worldwide who are actually blind, i.e., totally unsighted and living in darkness.
In addition to those with complete blindness, the WHO estimates:
- Globally, at least 2.2 billion people have a near or distance vision impairment. In at least 1 billion of these, vision impairment could have been prevented or is yet to be addressed.
- The leading causes of vision impairment and blindness at a global level are refractive errors and cataracts [a cloudiness which grows over the lens of the eye].
- It is estimated that globally only 36% of people ... have received access to an appropriate intervention.
While millions live in complete spiritual darkness, and millions (nay billions!) more live with some measure of blindness, it is safe to say, biblically speaking, that ALL men walk in spiritual blindness, absent the "Light" of Jesus and His restorative, regenerative, and salvific work on their behalf.
“And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” And he looked up and said, “I see people, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.” - Mark 8:23-25 ESV
God calls us to bring Jesus' Light to those who live in darkness, and to not just bring His Light and truth, but to disciple them into clarity of a mature and fruitfal walk with the Savior.
It’s one miracle to go from blindness to sight. It’s another to go from seeing to seeing clearly. We need Jesus to help us see things clearly.
"... the people living in darkness have seen a great light ..." - Matthew 4:16, NIV
Man may be executed for failing Bible quiz.
A headline in the Christian Post caught my attention this week. It read, “Iranian Christian convert fears execution if deported for giving wrong answers on Bible quiz.” Yes, you read that right. Perhaps you have taken a Bible quiz. You probably did not have to worry about be executed for failing it.
Is this real and how does something like this happen? Reza Karkah, a former Muslim, became a Christian while living in Iran, a criminal offense there which is punishable by death. For that very reason, he fled to the United Kingdom seeking asylum as a refugee. An immigration hearing was scheduled to determine if Mr. Karkah’s claim of conversion is true. At that hearing, a judge gave him a test with 150 Bible questions. The reasoning goes, if he is truly a Christian, he should have a certain knowledge of the Bible and be able to pass the test. If he does not pass, he is faking conversion as a pretext for immigration.
Imagine knowing that you had to take a test to evaluate your knowledge of the Bible. Pass it, and you get to stay in the country. Fail it, and you are deported and executed! Ask yourself this question: How hard would you study the Bible if you knew your life literally depended on it? Now ask yourself another question: Isn’t that exactly how hard you should study the Bible anyway? Philippians 2:16 refers to Scripture as the “word of life.” God’s Word brings life and when heeded, can save your life. So yes, read the Word of God as if you will die if you don’t! Cling to it as you would a life jacket while drifting at sea.
In case you’re wondering how Mr. Karkah did, he failed the test in part because he could not remember that Judas was the disciple who betrayed Jesus. It has yet to be decided if he will be deported and executed for that mishap. Perhaps we should all stop and pray for Mr. Karkah and his family.
Setting Your Mark
On a farm, everyone has to pitch in to make things work. Once a lady who was inexperienced at driving a tractor was asked by her husband to drive a tractor across a field pulling a disc. Not sure how to do the job her husband instructed her to pick out an object at the end of the field and drive toward it, that way her path would remain straight.
So she put the tractor in gear and off she went toward the other end of the field. It wasn't long before she noticed her husband running alongside the tractor trying to get her attention. She stopped and asked, "What's wrong?"
Upon looking at him she noticed that her path was rather crooked as opposed to the straight line she needed to drive. Her husband again explained she needed to pick out an object and drive toward it. She said, "I did."
"What are you driving toward?" he asked. She pointed to the object down at the end of the row, which at that point she realized was a bird which had been hopping across the ground.
We have to be careful when we set our mark that we set it on something or someone that is sure and stationary.
The mark set by the world is ever-shifting, but the truths found in Christ are sure and stationary. To keep your life heading in the right direction, make sure you set your mark on Jesus.
"Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
"Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ." (1 Corinthians 11:1, NKJV)