Mental and spiritual blindness

Opinions vary concerning the mess this world is in. Some say it has always been like this and only now we hear news much sooner and much more because of increased media power. Others say the end is near either speaking of Jesus returning or that the sky is falling. Many are like my hubby who says the events out there are not affecting us, at least not right now.

I’m not at all into predicting the future. Understanding today is challenge enough. However, the Bible does reveal that in the last days God will release terrible devastation on the earth and many millions will die. For example. . . .

Then the sixth angel blew his trumpet, and I heard a voice from the four horns of the golden altar before God, saying to the sixth angel who had the trumpet, “Release the four angels who are bound at the great river Euphrates.” So the four angels, who had been prepared for the hour, the day, the month, and the year, were released to kill a third of mankind. The number of mounted troops was twice ten thousand times ten thousand; I heard their number. And this is how I saw the horses in my vision and those who rode them: they wore breastplates the color of fire and of sapphire and of sulfur, and the heads of the horses were like lions’ heads, and fire and smoke and sulfur came out of their mouths. By these three plagues a third of mankind was killed, by the fire and smoke and sulfur coming out of their mouths. For the power of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails, for their tails are like serpents with heads, and by means of them they wound. The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts. (Revelation 9:13–21)

Piper says what I have often said, that catastrophic events are meant to bring the world to its senses so that it would reckon with the one true and living God and repent. But this does not always happen.

This week our granddaughter needed a brace adjusted. She’d had on a white one and then a black one. The nurse asked which one she preferred. She said the black one. The nurse said, “So you like the white one best.” This was repeated about three times. I also told the nurse that she misheard and our granddaughter wanted the black one. Then the nurse said, “Since you want the white one, I’m putting that one on you.” I’m still shaking my head.

Last night we watched a mystery in which the suspects were in a nursing home and could not remember the last words they heard, understandable yet frustrating for the detectives looking for answers. After hearing the nurse do the same thing, then reading this passage from Revelation, I’m less surprised at what the Lord says about spiritual blindness. It is as if the human heart can be so entirely determined to believe what they want to believe that what is obvious to others cannot be seen or understood.

Jesus spoke to the religious leaders of His day. They claimed God as their Father but He said to them:

If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.(John 8:42–47)

I don’t know about the nurse, but this stresses the importance of listening and dealing with sin in my life. Since sin is going my way instead of God's way, hearing rightly is vital, as is being honest with what I hear. Self-rule will not keep away the wrath of God, nor protect me when the world falls apart. 

PRAY: Lord, I am sometimes slow to remember things, and sometimes forget important things. I need You to keep reminding me what to do, how to talk and act, and especially to listen. Our world is in trouble and so are all who think that they do not need You. Enable me to represent You well, but also open blind eyes and ears of those who need to see and hear you.