“…Because you did not [come progressively to] recognize [from observation and personal experience] the
time of your visitation [when God was gracious toward you and offered you salvation].”
Luke 19:44 (AMP)
In John 9 we read the account of a blind man whom Jesus healed. This man was blind from birth, a beggar who never had the privilege of seeing his parents, his siblings, or the world he lived in. We read in John 9:6-7 (NIV) that Jesus “…spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.” This miracle happened on the Sabbath, and this created quite a stir amongst the religious leaders. Instead of focusing on the amazing miracle that had occurred in the life of this man who had been blind from birth, their focus was the fact that Jesus had transgressed the law by performing this miracle on the Sabbath day.
Shortly after this event we read how Jesus raised Lazarus, who was dead for four days, from the grave – another supernatural miracle! However, we read in John 12:37 (NIV) this sad reference concerning the continued unbelief of many of the people and leaders of Jesus’ time: “Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in Him.”
I am reminded of the English proverb that says “There are none so blind as those who will not see.” We can be so sure of our own opinion and so set on what we believe to be true, that no evidence to the opposite will
sway us.
I reckon that, if I sit at the feet of the Lord daily, cultivate a sensitivity to His still small voice and be actively on the lookout for His hand in my everyday life, and lives of those I encounter, I will not miss the miraculous
and divine things – both great and small – that He is busy doing. This is the season of celebration – celebrating the fact that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to be Emmanuel, God with us. With Christmas around the corner, let’s ask the Lord to keep our spiritual eyes and ears open to the manner in which He would reveal Himself afresh to us during this special time of celebration and reflection on the miracle of His birth! Don’t miss the manner in which the Lord may choose to visit you afresh by His Holy Spirit.
There is a serious caution for us in the above. If our hearts become so hardened by our own belief systems and prejudices, we may actually miss the great thing God is busy doing right in front of our eyes – the God-moments when He shows up in unexpected ways! Although it is wise and very necessary to discern the supernatural things we may see and experience, and to test the spirits (1John 4:1), we should remain teachable, KNOW the voice of the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of truth, Whom Jesus promised would teach us all things (John 14:16 & 26) and be grounded in the Word of God. In spite of the many wonderful things Jesus did when He walked the earth, and in spite of the fact that He taught about the fulfilment of Scripture by His coming, His people did not recognise the time of God’s visitation to them (Luke 19:44). We need to ask the Holy Spirit to keep our hearts tender towards His voice and the things He is busy doing in the times we live in. When our focus is religion outside of relationship with the Lord, we will undoubtedly miss the “God thing” happening around us.
I reckon that, if I sit at the feet of the Lord daily, cultivate a sensitivity to His still small voice and be actively on the lookout for His hand in my everyday life, and lives of those I encounter, I will not miss the miraculous and divine things – both great and small – that He is busy doing. With Christmas around the corner, let’s ask the Lord to keep our spiritual eyes and ears open to the manner in which He would reveal Himself afresh to us during this special time of celebration and reflection on the miracle of His birth!
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)