Look inside this book.Where the Bush is Burning: A Daily Devotional by [Thomas Tice]

Tag: Mark
Men As Trees Walking

Men As Trees Walking

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Men As Trees Walking

And he looked up and said, “I see men as trees, walking.”

Mark 8:24

Today, context sets before us a unique situation, peculiar to Mark’s Gospel. After Christ has taken spittle, and anointed the eyes of the blind man, with His Touch, He asks him if he sees anything. The blind man responds that he sees, ‘men as trees walking.’ This is a rather singular circumstance. Having said that, we see in this, because of the context, an apt illustration of the rise and progress of spiritual understanding in those of us with whom Christ deals. Certainly, this would have been an appropriate lesson for the disciples. In the previous portion of the chapter, Christ had, rather forcefully and sharply rebuked them for their slowness to apprehend spiritual truth, and to think primarily in carnal, as opposed to spiritual ways. Now Christ has touched the man once, and it appears to have only wrought rather limited ability to His vision. He, as yet, can only see, ‘men as trees walking.’ So it was with the disciples; and so it is with us. Christ brings light to our darkness. He enables us to see some truth, however vaguely, but He will have to continue to work with us until we can see the truth before us clearly.  This ought to produce in us great humility. How often, in spiritual matters, do we only ‘see men as trees walking.’ In order for us to see things in focus, it will require more contact with Christ. He and He alone can enable us to see things as we ought.

Our Gracious, Healing, Savior,
we praise You that You enable us to see clearly what we,
without You, would not be able to see.

Where the Bush is Burning
Tomm Tice
The Touch of the Master’s Hand

The Touch of the Master’s Hand

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The Touch of the Master’s Hand

So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything.

Mark 8:23

Christ brings sight to the blind. Although the text before us, is by no means, the only occasion where Christ did such a thing, there are some peculiarities about this particular instance. This lies within the context of the account of the man whom Christ appears to heal in two stages. Our text today precedes Christ’s conversation with the man. We want today to dwell upon the fact that Christ brings sight to the blind. There are several noteworthy aspects to this situation. The previous verse points out that others brought the man to Christ. How often is this the case. Others, either the disciples, or the man’s friends, were interested in his welfare enough to make the special effort to bring him to Christ. So it often happens, even now, that some other acquaintance will be the means whereby a spiritually blind person encounters Christ. Then notice how Christ employs mundane instruments to effect healing. Christ accommodates Himself to the popular idea of the time that the spittle of a holy man had healing powers. There is, however, no change in the man’s sight until Christ touches him. So, also, until Christ touches us, we remain without sight. It is the touch of Christ that brings sight to the blind. We dwell in darkness until Christ, by the power of His Touch, brings light to our spiritually darkened eye. If we, today, have any spiritual vision whatsoever, it is the direct result of the work of God by the Touch of the Master’s Hand.

Our Great Savior,
We rejoice in Your Healing touch,
And that you have given us sight.

Where the Bush is Burning
Tomm Tice
Until We See Clearly

Until We See Clearly

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Mark 8:23-25 (NKJV)

So He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the town. And when He had spit on his eyes and put His hands on him, He asked him if he saw anything. And he looked up and said, “I see men like trees, walking.” Then He put His hands on his eyes again and made him look up. And he was restored and saw everyone clearly.

 

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