Welcome to 2020. As we begin this adventure of another year, I pray that we receive a touch from Jesus that allows us to see clearly. Recall the blind man in Mark Chapter 8 who came to Jesus for a touch. As he looked up at first he saw men as trees walking, then Jesus touched him again and after the second touch he saw every man clearly. May we receive the second touch to allow us to see every one clearly, as our Father sees them. It is only then we can love each other as Jesus would. May our sight this year be 2020 as we look upon the broken people who pass by us on this path of life.
Speaking of being broken, have you ever noticed how many broken people stand in line at Wal-Mart to return their “broken” gifts they got for Christmas? As I stood in that line for returns to exchange my gift, I couldn’t help but feel for the other people standing there as well. We all had a gift with us that either was broken or didn’t fit or we just didn’t like what somebody had given us. For whatever reason, we all stood there waiting for our turn to rid ourselves of the unwelcome gift. Then I thought about Jesus. He is the greatest gift that was ever given to humanity, yet we reject him and his love just like the Pharisees and Sadducees did back when he came to them. In John 1:11 it says, “He came unto his own but his own received him not.” As I looked down at the gift I was about to exchange I had to confess my reason for returning it was not that it was necessarily broken, but I just didn’t like the color. How many times have I rejected spending time with Jesus because I didn’t like what he had to say to me or thought he was cramping my style? His word sits on our coffee tables and we walk by it every day, hasting on to the busy schedule we have before us. Have you ever seen a child open his gift on Christmas and cast it to the side and play with the box it came in? How many throw away the gift of Jesus for the option to play with this world and the things that are in it? It’s time that we who are broken become whole so that we can help others become whole as well. The blind man in Mark 8 didn’t walk away after the first touch, but he stood still and allowed the creator to touch him again. Can we stand still long enough this year to receive that touch that will make us whole and give us “2020” sight? As I looked down at my gift I began to feel that the color of the shirt wasn’t that bad. Then I heard the voice of the women behind the counter say to me, “Next.” I looked up, smiled at her and said “Nope, I’m good. Thank you anyway and happy New Year!” I walked out of Wal-Mart and I couldn’t wait to get home because I had a brand new shirt to wear and I had a brand new year to receive His touch in my life!
Waiting for His touch,