2/29/2020 (Yes, there is a My Utmost Leap Year entry!)
Luke 18:41 ‘Lord, that I may receive my
sight.”
This passage is about the blind beggar who,
after hearing people yelling as Jesus was passing by, called out to Him, “Have
mercy on me!” Among all the other voices in the crowd crying out to Jesus doing
the same, it was this man that Jesus asked to be brought forth. When Jesus
asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” he replied “Lord, I want to see.”
Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight, your faith has healed you.’ Immediately
he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God.” Luke
18:41-43
Chambers asks, “What is the thing that not
only disturbs you but makes you a disturbance? It is always something you
cannot deal with yourself.” Chambers rarely minces words, and certainly does
not here, although I would add this: perhaps it is something you do not
recognize yourself; something you may be blind to.
I can answer Chamber’s question by saying “fear”.
It has been a thorn in my side and a constant battle for years. Fear is a liar
and a thief, and I know countless people who also battle with worry and
anxiety. Many people take all kinds of medication to help them, including me.
My medication quiets my mind and allows me to think more rationally. I am incredibly
grateful to God every day that I can take something to help me maneuver this
world, because I know people who either can’t or don’t.
Another thing people do is seek assistance from
other resources, someone to tell them how to change, be happy, be fulfilled, or
how to make their dreams come true. In our society, self-help is a booming
business. The United States Self-Improvement Product and Service Market Report
of 2019 estimated it to be an $11 Billion dollar industry. The population of
the world in 2019 was just over 7.5 billion people. That equates to
approximately $1.50 for every person alive spent on self-help; a shocking number indeed. We
look to so many outside influences to give us guidance or direction on mental,
spiritual, and physical well-being. At the beginning of this year, Oprah Winfrey
kicked off a WW (formerly known as Weight Watchers) nine city U.S. tour titled 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus, concentrating
on health and wellness. She invites “Visionaries” (all celebrities) to come and
share their stories of success and overcoming adversity. We so often look to
those we find inspirational or wise for motivation, believing that if they can
do it, so can we. Is this in and of itself wrong? Certainly not, but if a
spiritual component is missing in our lives, I believe the victory will be
short-lived and we will continue to search. Why is it so easy to listen to
others, but not seek out God and listen to Him?
I believe we are all born with a
desire for spiritual connection. My relationship with Jesus is the most
important part of my life. His grace and mercy fill a hole in me that nothing
else ever could. Knowing I am a child of the Most High is an overwhelming and
humbling thing. Coming to Him with every concern, and sharing with Him every
joy, makes life infinitely more extraordinary, for NOTHING is bigger or
mightier than my God! Chambers says, “When once we see Jesus, He does the
impossible thing as naturally as breathing.” Jesus is who I go to for guidance and wisdom, and God’s Holy Word is my self-help
book; it has every answer I will ever need.
Something Beautiful - Steven Curtis Chapman
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