Blind And At Peace

This is a passage I have meditated on a great deal over the years...

"Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I send? Who is blind as my dedicated one, or blind as the servant of the LORD? He sees many things, but does not observe them; his ears are open, but he does not hear." - Isaiah 42:19-20 ESV

'Dedicated one' is shalam (Strong's H7999) and it is a personification of the great word SHALOM which means peace, health and national tranquillity.

We live in a time where observation and sensitivity are prescribed and valued highly and closed-minded thinking is vilified and thought to be backward and contrary to progress.

This passage isn't promoting closed-mindedness. It is promoting a kind of singleminded blindness.

Jesus personified the above passage and He was and Is the most compassionate man that ever lived.

Grace is blind to people's faults but it isn't a naive blindness. The gracious person 'sees many things but does not observe them' because there is a higher favor that is given. Jesus clothes men and women in His righteousness but that garment is not visible to those that hear and see.

I was blinded once temporarily and for a week I had to wear patches over both eyes. It was very enlightening. My roommates brought me to classes and helped me.

I want to call on that experience and use it. I want to rely on God to lead me and not see what the world around me is shouting at me to see. I want to be blind and deaf but looking and listening for God's voice and cues. Living now not looking for later. Acting now and not regretting the past.

The world isn't going to tell us this. Our flesh will want more to see and more information that gives it power. The accuser will demand we look at the issues and shortfalls of ourselves and others.

Let's be blind in this way and be at peace with God today.

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Amen In Him

"For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory." - 2 Corinthians 1:19-20 ESV

Wow. It is a great thing to have a 'Yes and Amen'.

Perhaps 'Amen' sounds religious in some way. It did to me at first. Monks say it. Swaying crowds singing Gospel music shout it as they wave their hands. It wasn't a word in my vocabulary or perhaps I uttered a sarcastic, 'Amen brother' here or there to jokingly agree with something.

I didn't see the depth of Shalom that was in the word. 'Amen' has a universal rightness to it. It is agreeing with God. It is uttering a phrase that says, 'I am on the same page with the eternal mind.'

It wasn't in my vocabulary but neither was Jesus. In Him I have my 'Amen' and if I have half a brain I also have a 'Yes' when I hear an eternal truth and it resonates in my being.

Yes and No. Yes and No. Yes and No. People will say these two all day long. They are like the zeros and ones in a computing machine but who in the room will say, 'Yes and Amen'? Who will look at an empty cross and use their sanctified imagination to gaze into Heaven to see a risen Christ? Will take on His light burden and shed their own heavy burden? Who will join with Him in a seek and save mentality and leave behind the judgement of people in approval and disapproval?

I sit here penning a blog entry but my heart is swaying in a great multitude singing and shouting 'Amen'. I have music because of Jesus. I have glory in Him. I have a connection to the Father as a dusty human being anchored to the Earth. My Spirit is free to roam in glory.

Thank You, God. Yes and Amen to Your Son. He Is my glory. Give me words to say that come from You so others will have an Amen today. Maybe it would be their first one. Thank You, God.

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