About eight years ago I did a bible study titled “Walking by Faith” by Jennifer Rothschild. F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S! (This is a short and easy to do study that I recommend you take the time to complete.) I had the opportunity a couple of years later to see and meet Jennifer at a Women of Faith conference in Orlando. (I’d have to dig in my junk closet to find the picture. I believe that closet is next to organize before school begins.) Her story is captivating. Her presentation was sweet, real, and had you watching every move she made. Why watch her moves? Well, Jennifer became blind at the age of fifteen. (Here is her website that tells about what happened: http://www.jenniferrothschild.com/about.html) It is because of this blindness that she says, “God has taught me to see that living a life based on faith rather than sight requires us to look at our situations through a lens that filter out what is seen and, instead, focuses on what is unseen–those things that are eternal.”
Some people walk around blind. I’m not talking about one’s eyesight; I’m talking about someone who is unwilling or unable to understand something.
In Acts 13:6-12, our buddies Barnabas and Paul (this was the first time Saul was actually mentioned by the name Paul.) were sent to Cyprus. While there “The proconsul, an intelligent man, sent for Barnabas and Saul because he wanted to hear the word of God.” (verse 7) Well, “someone” did not want that to happen. He wanted to keep the proconsul “in the dark” about the word of God. That man was Elymas. Elymas was a sorcerer. He was “blinded” by Satan to the ways of God.
It sounds like he was a bully. And one of the best defenses to stop a bully is to just look at them straight on, stand strong, and tell them like it is. That is what Paul did to Elymas. This is what Paul said:
Saul, also known as Paul, was filled with the Holy Spirit, and he looked the sorcerer in the eye. 10 Then he said, “You son of the devil, full of every sort of deceit and fraud, and enemy of all that is good! Will you never stop perverting the true ways of the Lord? 11 Watch now, for the Lord has laid his hand of punishment upon you, and you will be struck blind. You will not see the sunlight for some time.” Verses 9-11.
Now, the man that was being blinded by Satan, was about to become physically blind. In verse 11b it says, “Instantly mist and darkness came over the man’s eyes, and he began groping around begging for someone to take his hand and lead him.” Yes sir. It happened immediately.
We don’t know what happened to Elymas after this event. (I’ve searched.) But I wonder if he, like Jennifer, started focusing on the things unseen. Imagine if this famously known sorcerer had this happen and he did start living by faith. What a testimony he has!
In verse 12 we discover that, “When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was amazed at the teaching about the Lord.” Praise God! Glory!!
Do we really need to wait to be blinded physically before we start walking in God’s light and walking by faith? Take the blinders off and start your new or renewed life with Christ today.
“For we live by faith, not by sight.” 2 Corinthians 5:7. In The Message translation it reads like this: “It’s what we trust in but don’t yet see that keeps us going.” I know there is a heaven where my Jesus is waiting for me. This keeps me going each day until He returns or He calls me home.
Blessings to you!
July 11