I WONDER! -- Devotional for April 4, from "Good Seeds"

On their way from Jericho to Jerusalem Jesus and His disciples were followed by a huge crowd. When two blind beggars heard that it was Jesus, they shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” The people told them to pipe down and stand aside, but that only made them cry the louder. Jesus turned to them and said, “What would you have Me do for you?” “O that we might see again,” they replied. Moved with compassion, Jesus touched their eyes, and immediately their sight was restored to them. Then they joined the happy throng of followers. (Matthew 20:26-33)

This paraphrase DID NOT come from the Jefferson Bible. We honor Thomas Jefferson as one of the greatest statesmen and patriots of our great nation’s formative years. He was also a gifted writer; just look at the incredibly beautiful and powerful wording of the United States Constitution. But when he put his hand to rewriting the Bible, what happened? Well, as much as He admired Holy Writ, he had trouble believing most of it. He wrote, then, not with pen and ink, but with a pair of scissors, cutting out anything smacking of the miraculous. I wonder – is that wise, to just ignore, or even deny, the parts of the Bible that go against nature, or your views – or that just make you squirm? Here we see Jesus, in the normal course of a day’s activities, lending His human ear to two men in pain, but then immediately drawing on His divine power to make them whole again. Compare that throng to a typical Sunday worship service of our day: the saints are fellowshiping comfortably with their Lord, moving along through the songs and announcements, and then listening respectfully to the sermon (though as the noon hour approaches their attention is stolen away by those hunger grumbles in their tummies!) – when all of a sudden, someone interrupts the pastor with a heartfelt “Amen”, or maybe a less than subtle sob is heard. “Oh no! Does this mean we’re going to have an invitation? The Community Church folks will surely beat us to the best tables down at the restaurant!” When was the last time you let the praise of a rejoicing brother, or the cry of a hurting stranger, touch your heart? When was the last time you took your eyes off the folks and things that irritate you, and focused them instead on Jesus, watching and waiting to see what wonderful thing He would do? By the way, tomorrow would be Palm Sunday, and next week, crucifixion! I wonder how different the impatience (unbelief?) of Christ’s followers today is from that fickle crowd, putting Him in a box where they no longer could worship Him, and soon would kill Him. I wonder!