Blind For A Season

"So the LORD said to him, "Who has made man's mouth? Or who makes the mute, the deaf, the seeing, or the blind? Have not I, the LORD?"

Exodus 4:11

The God who created man possesses far greater power and abilities than those of men.  He who created the mouth is able to speak light into darkness, and the One who created the eye is able to see all.  God knows exactly what He is doing, even if men believe they can do better.  God made eyes to see as well as eyes which are incapable of sight.  Throughout scripture there are instances where God used seasons or a lifetime of blindness to accomplish His purposes.  One might think only seeing eyes have value, but when ordained by the hand of God even blindness is most profitable.

John 9:1-3 reads, "Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. ² And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" ³ Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him."  When Jesus saw a man who had been permanently blind from birth, He explained it was not due to sin in him or his parents.  He was born blind so the "works of God should be revealed in him."  A lifetime was merely a prolonged season Jesus would bring to an end by His grace and power.  Jesus would perform a miracle in opening the man's eyes - not only to the light of day and the beauty of creation - but to recognise His God and Saviour Jesus Christ.  Our physical eyes grow dim over time, but through eyes of faith we are able to see clearly for eternity.

God is able to use and redeem something as debilitating as blindness for His good purposes.  The wicked men of Sodom were temporarily blinded and unable to find the door to assault Lot's angelic visitors (Genesis 19:11).  Elisha asked God to strike the Syrian army with blindness.  He led them to Samaria, and God used the kindness and hospitality of the king to end an ongoing conflict (2 Kings 6:18-23).  Saul (who later was called Paul) was struck blind for three days when the risen Jesus Christ appeared to him on the road, leading to his conversion (Acts 9:8-18)  When a sorcerer tried to turn Sergius Paulus from hearing and responding to the Gospel, Paul pronounced blindness upon him which led to the proconul believing in Acts 13:11-12:  "And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time." And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand. ¹² Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had been done, being astonished at the teaching of the Lord."  I'm sure the sorcerer was impacted by the event as well!  God is able to redeem blindness of one person for the good of others.

Through spiritual blindness of the Jewish people which prevented them from recognising Jesus Christ as the promised Messiah, salvation by grace through faith has come to all people.  Paul explained in Romans 11:7-11:  "What then? Israel has not obtained what it seeks; but the elect have obtained it, and the rest were blinded. ⁸ Just as it is written: "God has given them a spirit of stupor, Eyes that they should not see And ears that they should not hear, To this very day." ⁹ And David says: "Let their table become a snare and a trap, A stumbling block and a recompense to them. ¹⁰ Let their eyes be darkened, so that they do not see, And bow down their back always." ¹¹ I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles."  The ability to see is not obtained through physical effort, knowledge, or human wisdom but by the sovereign power of God.

When Jesus opens our eyes, we can perceive people stumbling in the dark.  My natural response is to think I can help them to see because I can see.  But this isn't the case in the physical or spiritual realm!  I cannot open someone's understanding to the Gospel any more than I can open a man's eyes which have been blind from birth.  My role is to introduce others to Jesus and to the truth of the Bible which is able to make men wise unto salvation (2 Timothy 3:15).  Jesus is the Saviour who has come to open the eyes of the blind, set the captives free, and raise the dead to life.  God is able to redeem blindness which has been lifelong or even for a season to accomplish His glorious purposes.  The God who sees and knows all will guide us into all truth.  With our eyes fixed upon Him in faith, we can remain strong and not faint (Hebrews 12:1-3) even when the blindness of others grieves our hearts.  We can praise God even for blind eyes, for through them the works of God can be revealed to all.