MEDITATIONS
FROM THE GOSPELS
March 14,
2007 Reading
"One thing I know, that, whereas I was
blind, now I see” John
This is a wonderful thing to say. My soul, on what
foundation do you base this knowledge? If the Lord Jesus has opened your eyes,
then you can not but discover your former blindness; for during that condition
of your heart you literally could discern nothing. And if your former blindness
is discovered, then your present sight has made you acquainted with new
objects. Stop and think over the two conditions of your soul.
The blindness of human nature to spiritual things is
spoken of in scripture with strong language. A poor blind sinner sees nothing
of the light of life. The Sun of Righteousness is not risen
upon him. He discerns nothing of the love of God in Christ. If he reads the
scripture, the veil is upon his heart. If he hears of Jesus, he sees no beauty
in him. Nothing is nearer to him than the world, and nothing further from his
thoughts than Jesus. To tell him of the sweetness of the word of God is strange
to him; for he tastes nothing of its sweetness. To tell him of the loveliness
of salvation and the walk of faith in Christ is like speaking to him in a
foreign tongue.
"To you it has been given to know the mystery of
the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables,
so that 'Seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and
not understand,” Mark 4:11-12.
My soul, if
indeed your eyes have been opened, you will know that you were once blind to
all these wonderful views of sacred things, which now are your supreme pleasure
and joy. Say, then, what have you seen to justify this saying: “One thing I
know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see?“ Have you
seen the king in his beauty? Have you seen with the eye of faith the glories of
Jesus? If your answer is yes, then everything else is dimmed. The sight of Jesus,
as the Christ of God, has darkened the glory and excellency of worldly and
ungodly things. Jesus, as He is in himself, as He is in his attributes, characters,
relations; as He is to you and your happiness; is the one, the only one thing
needful; and you must count all things but dung and refuse to win Christ. Do
you love reading the Word of God and become excited as the Holy Spirit reveals
your Savior to you? Do you cringe when you sin? Do you long to see God
glorified in your thoughts and actions? These, my soul, are solid proofs that
Jesus has opened your eyes, and brought you out of darkness into his marvelous
light. By and by you shall see Him as He is, and dwell with Him forever.
Tragically there are many dim sighted Christians.
Worldly things still cloud their eyes. The Sun of Righteousness shines but the
radiance of His glory barely burns through the smog of worldliness. The more
you separate yourself from the world the thinner the cloud of smog will be and
the more clearly you will see Him who is altogether lovely.
Open my eyes
that I may see glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
Place in my
hands the wonderful key that shall unclasp, and set me free.
Open my ears
that I may hear voices of truth thou sendest clear;
And while
the wave-notes fall on my ear, everything false will disappear.
Clara
H. Scott, 1895