Morning Thoughts - by Elder Philip Conley

Morning Thoughts

Mark 8:24, "And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking."

This morning, many of God's children are blind to the things of God in this world. While their inner man knows the Lord, they have no knowledge of anything about their Lord. When Jesus healed the blind man in John 9, he knew that Jesus came from God, but he was not acquainted with the fact that He is the Son of God until Christ revealed it unto Him. Therefore, some of God's children are in total darkness (in understanding), others have incomplete knowledge, and others are blessed to see the truth and rejoice in it (as much as we can know here below).

In this account, Christ heals a man from natural blindness. But, as the Scriptures do many times, this natural account shows us something of the spiritual realm. Christ in the verses preceding spits upon his eyes and touches them. He then queries as to whether the man sees or not. It seems to the feeble thinking of the writer that the Lord tests or tries the man's faith. Consider if one of us was blind, and we were restored to a measure of our health. It would be easy to be content to stay in a state of partial sight. However, the man declared honestly that his eyesight was still somewhat dim. In the spiritual realm, our Lord does not reveal all things at once. He reveals them line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little.

When the Lord blesses us to see something that we did not before, what are we commanded to do? Are we commanded to bury our talent in the sand or make more in His service? Indeed, we have been given much insight and understanding (by the grace of God) into the truths of His word. Therefore, He requires much from us, for He has given us much. Many of God's people see only part of the picture, and are content to remain in ignorance seeing only men as trees walking. The natural Jews still held to the Old Testament (some in sincerity and others in vain), but the new dispensation bears the face and seal of Jesus Christ and not the Mosaic Law.

Many so-called Christians today believe that Jesus Christ died for our sins, but they nullify the power and awesomeness of it by laying burdens upon men's shoulders that ought not to be borne. These actions rob glory from the Lord that He does not share or give to another. To Him belongs all adulation, glory, and praise. When the Lord blesses us to see better than we did before, let us continue to beseech Him to grant us more understanding and wisdom. He will not upbraid us for this request, but His distribution will be liberal and gracious.

Finally, the Lord does not give us this sight so that we can be puffed up, but it is for more aligned service and focus upon the One that has blessed us so greatly. This man eventually saw every man clearly. May we endeavor to see the things in the written word clearly so that our light would shine more and more set upon the beautiful hill of Mount Zion. One day we will see HIM clearly and in His fullness. Ever speed that blessed day Lord Jesus.

In Hope,

Bro Philip