27 And as Jesus passed on from there, two blind men followed him, crying aloud, “Have mercy on us, Son of David.” 28 When he entered 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.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.” 30 And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, “See that no one knows about it.” 31 But they went away and spread his fame through all that district.
I learned from the same account in Luke 18 that Jesus was traveling to Jerusalem, and had passed through Samaria and Galilee. Along the way, He stopped and taught to those on the road, healed those who needed healing and even raised a child from the dead. Now He was reaching Jericho near Jerusalem, closer to His destination, and yet He stops again. Two blind men cry out to Him using words that indicate they recognized Him as the long awaited Messiah “Son of David” promised in God’s covenant to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
I love that Jesus stopped again. He was not following an earthly schedule. He was listening to His Father who was guiding His every moment, guiding His schedule. It was a schedule that was not focused on solely the destination, but allowed for what we would call “interruptions”. For Jesus, they were divine appointments to spread the Father’s love.
Then Jesus posed a question to the blind men – “Do you believe I am able to do this?” Jesus understood that they could recognize Him being the long awaited Messiah, and yet not have faith in Him. And with their response, “Yes Lord”, Jesus heals them. Many times after healing someone, Jesus would warn them not to share it with anyone. I can appreciate how hard it must have been to contain such a significant change in the lives of these men. They couldn’t help but share! Can you think back to a divine appointment where Jesus met you in your moment of need in a miraculous way? I want to shout it from the rooftops, and do! It is where the natural situation meets the Supernatural Power of our God. He never leaves us or forsakes us. He’s always available for those divine appointments with us – to teach us, to heal us, to raise up what we thought was dead. All praise and glory belongs to Jesus!
Kiswahili:
Mathayo 9:27-31
27 Yesu alipokuwa akipita kutoka huko, vipofu wawili walimfuata wakipiga kelele, wakisema, Uturehemu, Mwana wa Daudi. 28 Alipoingia nyumbani, wale vipofu walimwendea, naye Yesu akawauliza, “Je, mnaamini kwamba ninaweza kufanya hivyo?” Wakamwambia, Ndiyo, Bwana. 29 Kisha akayagusa macho yao, akasema, Na iwe kwa imani yenu. 30 Macho yao yakafumbuliwa. Naye Yesu akawaonya kwa ukali, “Angalieni mtu yeyote asijue jambo hili.” 31 Lakini wao wakaenda, wakaeneza sifa zake katika wilaya ile yote.
Nilijifunza kutoka kwa akaunti hiyo hiyo katika Luka 18 kwamba Yesu alikuwa akisafiri kwenda Yerusalemu, na alikuwa amepitia Samaria na Galilaya. Njiani, alisimama na kuwafundisha wale waliokuwa njiani, akawaponya wale waliohitaji uponyaji na hata kumfufua mtoto kutoka kwa wafu. Sasa alikuwa akifika Yeriko karibu na Yerusalemu, karibu na kusudi Lake, na bado anasimama tena. Vipofu wawili wanamlilia kwa kutumia maneno yanayoonyesha kwamba walimtambua kuwa Masihi aliyengojewa kwa muda mrefu “Mwana wa Daudi” aliyeahidiwa katika agano la Mungu kwa Daudi (2 Samweli 7:12-16).
Ninapenda kwamba Yesu aliacha tena. Hakuwa akifuata ratiba ya kidunia. Alikuwa akimsikiliza Baba yake ambaye alikuwa akimwongoza kila wakati, akiongoza ratiba yake. Ilikuwa ni ratiba ambayo haikulenga tu marudio, lakini iliruhusiwa kwa kile tungeita "kukatizwa". Kwa Yesu, zilikuwa uteuzi wa kimungu ili kueneza upendo wa Baba.
Kisha Yesu akawauliza wale vipofu swali: “Je, mnaamini kuwa ninaweza kufanya hili?” Yesu alielewa kwamba wangeweza kumtambua kuwa ndiye Masihi aliyengojewa kwa muda mrefu, na bado wasiwe na imani Kwake. Na kwa jibu lao, “Ndiyo Bwana”, Yesu anawaponya. Mara nyingi baada ya kumponya mtu, Yesu angewaonya wasishiriki na mtu yeyote. Ninaweza kufahamu jinsi ilivyokuwa vigumu kudhibiti mabadiliko hayo makubwa katika maisha ya wanaume hawa. Hawakuweza kujizuia kushiriki! Je, unaweza kufikiria nyuma kwenye uteuzi wa kimungu ambapo Yesu alikutana nawe katika wakati wako wa uhitaji kwa njia ya kimiujiza? Ninataka kupiga kelele kutoka juu ya paa, na fanya! Ni pale hali ya asili inapokutana na Nguvu isiyo ya kawaida ya Mungu wetu. Yeye hatatuacha wala kutuacha. Daima yuko tayari kwa miadi hiyo ya kimungu pamoja nasi - kutufundisha, kutuponya, kuinua kile tulichofikiri kuwa kimekufa. Sifa na utukufu wote ni kwa Yesu!
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