TWO KINDS OF EYES

In Matthew 9:28-30a, we read: “And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, ‘Do you believe that I am able to do this?’ They said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord.’ Then He touched their eyes, saying, ‘According to your faith let it be to you.’ And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, ‘See that no one knows it.’”

“Grandfather, did the Lord Jesus really touch them? And they could see?”

“He did.”

"But, Grandfather. If they were blind, how did they know the Lord passed by them?”

"Maybe they realized they needed new eyes." Timmy tilted his head.

“Why didn't He give them new eyes? He knew they needed them. I don't understand."

"Remember the morning you knotted up the cord to your kite?" Timmy nodded. "I watched and the more you tried, the more tangled--let's just say it was a mess." Grandfather chuckled. Timmy nodded.

"Finally I asked you for help. And. And you said, ‘Do you really want my help?'"

"That's right. You had to want my help and believe I could untangle the cord. Then you gave it to me, showed your faith in me.

“The Lord Jesus wants us to trust Him, to believe in Him. When the blind men said they believed, He touched their eyes, said, 'According to your faith let it be to you.' And you know what?" Timmy shook his head.

"They eyes were opened. They could see. Can you imagine? Blind one minute and seeing the next. Then He warned them to tell no one about this."

"Why?"

“Our Lord loves us and wants us to come to Him, not for what we can get from Him,” Grandfather’s uplifted palm stopped Timmy’s question. "But that our faith in Him can grow. He wants us to love Him and share His Love."

Kingdom Thinking. My eyes although open couldn’t see the important things in life. Then the Lord Jesus came. He touched me and allowed me to see that He loves even me and He promises never to leave nor forsake me. He offers the same to you. “According to your faith, let it be to you.” Won’t you come to Him?

A VALENTINE WISH FOR YOU

THE BOX OF VALENTINE CANDY

In 2 Timothy1:6-7, we read: “Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

“Teacher, there’s a man at the door.” She saw him standing there, grinning like a Cheshire cat through the glass in the door.

As she headed for the door, face flushed with embarrassment, he held up a large heart-shaped box of candy, a fancy red rose perched on top.

The eighth-grade science class took his cue, clapping, laughing as they sing-songed: “Teacher has a boy friend.” She managed to open the door, invite him in, and introduce him to the class. The class quieted, enthralled with one of his escapades of near death while flying his F-86 fighter jet.

My life-box of Valentine candy contains all shapes and sizes, mostly “oops.” (“Oops”—imperfect pieces of candy or discards at the candy factory but taste good.) The Lord Jesus gave me the heart-shaped box to store my oops and to share them to His Glory.

Many times, I have been stirred up for wrong. Anger, fear, disappointment. The “what if’s” that bring indecision and heartache. But our Lord Jesus reminds me through the Apostle Paul I need to stir up the gift God has given me. The gift of power and of love and of a sound mind. Godly gifts that enable me to trust in the Lord Jesus and not in myself.

Kingdom Thinking. You can receive the spirit of power and of love and a sound mind no matter the number of oops in your life box of candy. Admit your need for a Savior, and ask the Lord Jesus to come into your life. He loves you and will never leave you. Won’t you come?