Click here to watch my video reflection on our text for today, or keep reading for my written reflections: 

Today as one of our readings, we look at Mark 8: 22-26: 

22 They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. 23 He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Can you see anything?” 24 And the man looked up and said, “I can see people, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. 26 Then he sent him away to his home, saying, “Do not even go into the village.

Today’s selected readings went in a variety of places, Isaiah, and Galatians were really good, but as I read this passage from Mark, I was first really struck by the last verse, where Jesus healed him, but told him not to go into his village; just go right home. That is something that Jesus does throughout the Gospels, there is always this desire by folks to seize Jesus and make Him king. That is not His intent, so often He will tell people not to tell others what He has done. 

Of course, that never works, as they immediately go tell everyone! 

Today though, as I pondered, what struck me was this.  Jesus’ first “attempt” at healing this man didn’t work completely.  It started Him on the path to healing, but it did not completely heal him.  He could see better, but he still couldn’t see completely. 

It wasn’t until the second encounter with Jesus that the man was completely healed.  

That resonated with me this morning.  We want Jesus to fix it, now!  Or at least I do.  I want Jesus to make everything better now. Heal everything now.  Take away every temptation now. Make it all better and all perfect now. 

And if He hasn’t, there is something wrong. Something wrong with me, maybe I don’t have enough faith, maybe I’m getting it wrong, maybe I’m doing something wrong. 

Or maybe He’s given up on me.  

What this story today can teach us is that He is not finished with us. As the old kid’s song says, “He’s still working on me, to make me what I ought to be.” 

You are not a finished product yet.  He is not finished with you yet. He is still working on you. Don’t give up.  Just because it’s not finished yet, or right yet, or healed yet; just because you still struggle, or mess up, doesn’t mean that God is done with you yet. 

He’s not finished.  Just like today, His work will be completed.  He’s still at work. 

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