blinded

In today’s OUR DAILY BREAD reading, verses 40-41 from the book of Luke, chapter 18 tells of the blind man waiting along the path Jesus was taking into Jerusalem when from  the crowds he called out, “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!”

As the narrative goes on, I am told that Jesus did indeed stop, asking of the blind man, “What do you want me to do?”

“Lord, I want to see,” to which Jesus replied, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.”

Oh, if only it were that easy for me today.  Matters not whom I name as Lord of my life, would it not be wonderful to request a dose of faith, large as the universe or small as a mustard seed, to bring sight?  I know that I have made that appeal numerous times.  The faith was supplied, but then, the ego within and the world outside question that faith and again I find myself playing baseball by myself out there in left field.  Left field is a lonely place to spend eternity.

The ego within says, “How can you, a rational man of sound reasoning, believe all that gobblygoop?  It’s just a myth, writings from centuries ago by men who had nothing else to do but sit around writing fairy tales?”

Poof, the faith is gone.  But, at a later time, when my life becomes a pile of garbage, I reflect on the times past when faith was strong.  “Wasn’t it wonderful?  Wasn’t life simple and wasn’t my mind peaceful?  If only I could again find that faith.”

Suffering in spiritual blindness, I have a choice.  I can continue stumbling along in the darkness or I can ask the Lord of my life for a healthy dose of faith.  Faith that the Spirit within will guide me.  Knowledge that the Lord within has never deceived me nor will that higher power ever deceive me.  Belief that walking and working that faith will be an eternal path.

“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”  Matthew 7:7

Even if I question the physical probability that the blind man’s eyesight was restored, the verses when viewed in a spiritual context speak volumes to a hurting world which includes a hurting me.

I am spiritually blinded by the world I live in.  Wars, violence, inhumane behavior, greed, and injustice overwhelm me if I am not covered with a simple prayer everyday:

“Lord, I want to see.”