Quiet Time

Finally got the time to read the bible again. And as always, God has the answer for me...

I like my study bible. A lot. Really like it because the questions I come up with as I read the bible it seem to have prepared well enough info for me. This time, I was reading on the healing of the blind man at Bethsaida(Mark 8:22-27).

It is a story that illustrate again on how Jesus heal the people. Yet this is slightly different in two ways that I take special notice of. First, the blind man was not healed on his first attempt. Second, Jesus had to spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him as he was healing him. So questions: Why did Jesus spit on the blind man's eyes when he has the healing power that certainly need not to spit in order to heal his blindness (8:23)? Why did Jesus fail to heal the blind man on his first attempt (8:25)?

Thanks to my bible it seems to have some info here to learn about it. It is stated that there are several Roman writers as well as Jewish rabbis considered saliva to be a valid treatment for blindness. In this case, it may be that Jesus recognised the man's need for increased faith and offered his physical action to raise his expectations. If so, the man's spiritual sight was strengthened as physical sight was imparted to him.

This story also appears to have taught us two lessons. First, Jesus heals people in a variety of ways, in which for this case, he used a two-step process. Second, it is important for us to understand that achieving spiritual insight may be a gradual process rather than a dramatic event. The disciples, like the blind man, had a measure of insight, but they still need the help of Jesus for further understanding.

I guess this story pretty relates to how I feel after the weekend services with Benny Hinn. To a certain extent as I have mentioned before, I don't feel much through his service, and I guess I know why now. In my heart, I don't believe as much as a miraculous healing through the spirit, as much as to see it with some physical actions attended to the healing process. I see it more as to heal psychological needs than rather physical needs. Just like the blind man who needed Jesus's physical action to raise his expectations and strengthened his faith. And I am learning slowly to take it in now... :)

"So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. ~ Hebrews 10:35-36"