Another Blind Spot

Genesis 39; Job 5; Mark 9; Romans 9

Most of us know at least one person who researches everything. I’m thinking of the people who will not buy just any toaster but must examine Consumer Reports and every other evaluation possible until they find the very best one for their needs. They do thorough work but they can have blind spots.

Job’s ‘friend’ Eliphaz claimed to have searched out Job’s situation and that his conclusion was correct. He told Job that all he had to do was deal with the sin in his life. Then God would bless him . . .

You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season. Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good.” (Job 5:26–27)

Toasters are one thing but when it comes to knowing the needs of others and the mind of God, even the most careful research fails to cannot connect all the dots. Each of us, including the wisest of Bible scholars, must admit to blind spots.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. (Deuteronomy 29:29)

We are mere mortals. God does not tell us everything. Who could handle such knowledge? We would run interference anyway, like Eliphaz did. Instead, God lets us in on what we need to know. In this situation, Job’s faith was put to the test by terrible trials. Even he was not told why this was happening to him.

God’s revelations are always a mystery. One person might read the Bible and ‘get it’ but another reads it and has no clue. Jesus spoke clearly to His disciples about His death and resurrection, but they did not grasp what He said.

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9:30–32)

Paul give an important example of how this mysterious revelation happens. God choose the Jews to be His people and in giving them the Law, they were held responsible to keep it, but they did not. Their failure was that missing ingredient, the blind spot of faith.

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (Romans 9:30–33)

The Jews did not realize their inability to keep God’s Law, and if they did, they did not repent and turn to God for grace. They kept trying, reshaping the Law and became increasingly blind to their shortfall. When Jesus came, they were so bent on saving themselves by their works that they missed seeing Him as God’s revelation of Himself. Instead of turning to Him in faith and trusting Him as their Savior, they put Him to death. They didn’t get it. They were done in by their blind spot.

Today, I’m in the dark about God’s purpose in my sudden nosebleed. He says He uses all things for my good, yet this threatens travel to my sister’s Celebration of Life on Saturday. Instead of speculating His reasons, I am trusting Him. He may choose to reveal why this is happening or not. In the meantime, I will obey what I do know and trust in Him with my blind spots.