Eye Opener - John 9:10

John 9:10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. (NIV)

The greatest wish or prayer that I have for all of my loved ones is encapsulated in this verse from John’s Gospel. I want all of them to have their eyes opened by Jesus in order to see Him for who He actually is: The Savior of their souls and the Lord of their lives. I know that am I not a perfect witness or flawless example of what a Christian should always be, but that does not stop me from hoping and praying that they will one day discover Christ in all of His totality.

Before I took Christ seriously, I dabbled in different things spiritually. I always felt there was something bigger and better than me, a supernatural power or almighty force that kept sustaining the world and universe. However, I was too self-absorbed to make any true leap of faith, so I just meandered down my own reckless path and put any notion of God to the side. It was only when I realized I was actually being self-destructive and needed to change that I cried out to God for help. I had blinded and deluded myself into thinking that I could handle anything and even do everything I wanted, but instead of filling my life with substance, I was actually draining my spirit and emptying my soul. Only God could rescue me from my self-made pit; only Christ could heal the blindness within me.

Perhaps you’re also praying for your loved ones to have their eyes opened by Christ. Maybe you’re feeling empty and in the dark yourself. Whatever the case, please know this: Christ can help your loved ones, so keep praying; Jesus can also brighten your life, so keep asking Him for His light. On the day that I decided to surrender to Jesus, my life changed forever. He opened my eyes and enabled me to see life as it actually is: a gift from God that is wonderful to experience and amazing to know.

Point to ponder

Has Christ opened my eyes to His love? What about my loved ones? Am I praying for them?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for revealing God to our world. Open our eyes to Your ways in our lives and help us to share Your gracious gift with all of our loved ones. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. Please come and join us for worship on Sundays at 11:00 AM. You will be made very welcome 😊

Today’s image is one of John’s Holy Week drawings called “Passion.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click this link: Passion.

Christian devotions: Go Away, Jesus! - Matthew 8:34

Today’s Bible readings are Isaiah 22:1-8 and Matthew 8:24-34

Matthew 8:34  Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.

 

They were absolutely terrified of Jesus. He cast out demons and caused a stampede. He proved that He had the power of God within Him, as well as the divine authority that went with it, but instead of worshipping, glorifying, and welcoming Him into their community, the Gadarene people urged Him to leave their shores.

You would think that because Jesus was able to perform miracles and cure serious sicknesses, He would have been welcomed with open arms and publicly celebrated. Instead, the people hurried to find Him in order to tell Him to go away. They didn’t want the challenges and changes He would have brought to their community. They just wanted to be left in peace to resume their way of life.

That’s not an uncommon response to the Living Gospel of Christ. Even today, there are millions of people in our society who refuse to accept Jesus as the Lord of their Lives and King of their hearts. They like what Jesus taught about love, but they refuse to submit themselves to His authority. They do not want to give their hearts to Christ because they would have to surrender their choices, their ways, and their goals.

Christ can come into our lives and make things more meaningful, granting us a real purpose for the short time we each have on Earth. But Jesus can do nothing for us unless we are willing to welcome Him into our hearts and homes, our communities and churches. The Gospel is a life-changing message which turns our worlds upside down and our values inside out. We do not change Jesus to suit our needs; instead He changes us to bring glory to God through doing His will.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, our lives should belong to God, but sometimes we have trouble in letting go of ourselves in order to allow You to change us completely. We are sometimes scared to surrender our spirits to Your ways and are too timid to apply our lives according to Your truth. Help us to get over our fears about faith, so that we may fully surrender our hearts and minds, bodies and souls to You alone. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask a question, please send John an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest Christmas Nativity drawings. It’s called “Small Town Miracle.” If you would like to view a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6117/6331033884_bd20084c00_b.jpg