Our passage this morning was in Mark chapter 8. Verses 23-25 tell of the blind man who was brought to Jesus. Jesus spit on his eyes and laid hands on him but when the man looked up, he did not see clearly. Instead he saw "men as trees, walking." Jesus laid hands on him again and his eyesight was fully restored. To me, this mirrors the process of sanctification in the converted. Once we have repented and are trusting in Jesus for our salvation we begin to see but not clearly at first. Day by day the indwelling of the Holy Spirit brings more and more clarity to our vision so that we can walk more and more in His ways. Psalm 92:12, "The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like the cedar in Lebanon." Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind..."
This chapter also contains the passage where Jesus tells His disciples what must happen to Him; that He must suffer many things, be killed, and rise again on the third day. Peter objects (in the flesh) and rebukes Jesus thinking such things will never happen to the Messiah. But Jesus turns to him and replies, "Get thee behind me satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men." Ouch. (My oldest son's question: "If Jesus was talking to Peter, why did He call him satan?" So glad you asked!) Reminds us to examine ourselves in regard to whose "things" we are seeking, believing, and pursuing in this life. The things of God or the things of men?
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