Seeing.

WHAT a blessing it is to have sight! Only think what it would be to be blind, and not to see the many persons and objects that surround us. It is true that there are many things the sight of which gives pain to the rightly-constituted mind, but what pleasure there is in beholding the faces and features of those we love, and in viewing the many interesting objects which are above and around us!
I dare say you have met, in some of your school books, with a piece called “The Blind Boy,” in which the following lines occur: —
“You talk of wondrous things you see;
You say the sun shines bright;
I feel his warmth, but how can he
Make either day or night?”
One who is born blind cannot, of course, feel the loss of that which he never possessed, though, from what he hears others say, he can be made aware that they have the gift of sight to which he is a stranger; but what it is, he cannot really know. But you, who have had the blessing of sight from your birth, would feel the loss of it keenly, because you once had known the enjoyment which it gives to its possessor.
One of the many blessings which the presence of the Lord Jesus in this world brought to suffering sinful creatures was, that the blind received their sight.
“He went about — He was so kind―
To cure poor people who were blind.”
Not only was he blind, but, being unable to earn his living, he begged his daily bread, as some blind people do nowadays. “And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” He was sure that Jesus could give him sight, and, as He was passing by, he knew that now was the time to obtain the blessing that he wanted. He was, therefore, resolved not to let the opportunity slip. I wonder, dear reader, whether you have been as wise as regards your soul, as this man was with respect to obtaining his sight? Though you are well able to see all about you with your natural eyes, yet unless you have been turned “from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God,” you are still blind to the beauty, perfection, and preciousness of the Saviour. Those who have believed in Him can, with deep thankfulness of heart, address Him and say —
“We once were blind, but now we see,
We dwelt in. Nature’s night,
No beauty, Lord, could fail in Thee,
Till we were blest with sight.
But God, in wondrous love and graces
Did on our darkness shine,
His glory showed us in Thy face,
And gave us light divine.”
As regards the blind beggar whose case we are considering, the people endeavored to make him “hold his peace” when he cried to Jesus, but he was not to be quieted in that way. No, “but he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” He was in earnest and he rose above the opposition of those who would silence him. “And Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him.” What grace, that the Lord of life and glory should stay at the cry of a poor blind man! “And when he was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee? And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight; thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people when they saw it gave praise unto God.”
See, how graciously the Lord inquired of the poor man what he wanted of Him, and how completely He responded to his desire, saying unto him, “Receive thy sight.” But mark what follows: “Thy faith hath saved thee.” Yes, “without faith it is impossible to please God.” Faith is believing God. The poor blind man believed that Jesus, who was “God manifest in the flesh,” could give him his sight, and he therefore obtained the blessing which he wanted. And if you come to Jesus as a poor blind, needy sinner, trusting in Him and in the precious blood which He has shed for the remission of sins, you also will be saved, and saved eternally. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”
The next step in this man’s history is beautiful. He did not obtain the blessing of seeing Jesus, and then turn away from Him. No, he “followed Him, glorifying God.” Here is an example for you, dear young believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. Are you following Him by keeping close to Him, looking on Him, and seeking to know His holy will in order that you may do it There is a special blessing in the doing of the will of God. “Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgeteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man, shall be blessed in his deed” (James 1).
In Hebrews 2:9,9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. (Hebrews 2:9) it is written of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, that “we see Jesus.” That is, we see Him by faith at the right hand of God, “crowned with glory and. honor.” I remember that some years ago, when a clever, worldly-wise person was teasing a simple Christian in my presence, counting him as a simpleton, and telling him that he could see nothing, I felt bound to reply for my dear brother in Christ, and I said to his tormentor, “Well, he can see farther than you can; for he can look into heaven and see Jesus there, and that is more than you can do.” This answer silenced him for the time. Oh, it is a great blessing to be able to say “we see Jesus,” for it is only those whose eyes God has opened and anointed by His Spirit who can truly say that.
There is another passage, in 1 Peter 1, which says, speaking of Jesus Christ, “Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.” How is this? one might say. One passage tells us that “we see Jesus,” and the other says “ye see Him not! “Well, we have not yet seen Him” as He is,” for when we do, and look upon Him no longer by faith as now, but “face to face,” then “we shall be like Him.” Is not that a blessing to wait for, dear young believer? Do you not desire to be like Him, and to behold Him in His beauty and glory for evermore?
Perhaps some youthful reader of this paper has not yet seen beauty in Jesus. Then, if you have not, it is Satan who is blinding you and endeavoring to keep you from looking to Him; for if you only look upon Jesus as the Lamb of God, the Saviour of the world, and trust in Him and His precious blood, you will never perish, but have everlasting life. May God open your eyes to look upon Him as your own blessed Saviour, and then all Will be well with you both for time and for eternity.
T.