My Divine encounter that led to an ‘awakening’ within my soul was to me, something akin to what Lazarus experienced when Jesus called him out of his tomb of ‘stinking darkness’. (John 11)
I could be wrong, but I have a sense that many others have longed for something similar in their own journey of faith; a ‘journey’ that stalled out long ago. Yet they continue to trudge along in ‘faithfulness’ believing for better days ahead even if it means waiting to ‘get to heaven’. At best, many of those were like me: I was walking in a ‘form of godliness but void of the power’. (2 Tim. 3:5). I knew how to ‘go through the motions’, sing the songs, and say the words. But I was just lifeless inside. I likened my condition to a cross between being on ‘life-support’ and ‘auto-pilot’ (spiritually).
Then, He called me out and opened my eyes.
He. Opened. My. Eyes.
I can only wonder if that is what it is like when a blind man can see again, or even for the first time perhaps?
When I say I sense others desire something similar, it comes from a place of longing where people truly desire something ‘new’ in their life. A new beginning, a new start…a ‘reset’ or ‘reboot’, so to speak. I remember when I had gone public in announcing our eventual departure from Paris, TX back in the summer, I heard on more than one occasion from several people how they too would ‘wished’ they could just uproot, move and ‘start over’. I know for others, that would be a terrifying thing; but that does not mean most of us don’t long for something ‘new’ in our lives.
A new job perhaps, or maybe a new car or house. Some are happy to just get a new hairstyle or wardrobe for that ‘pick me up’ feeling it can give. But as we also all know, that ‘pick me up’ feeling we are so acquainted with never really last. Which is why we tend to go in hunt of that next ‘new thing’ – convinced that next time, it will last.
“If only…” we tell ourselves…we could just start over. My goodness, who does not know someone whose marriage ‘went up in smoke’ for any assortment of reasons, but oftentimes as a result of a dissatisfied spouse who was deceived into believing that some ‘other person’ could be that spark of new life for them.
Interestingly though, God understood this desire or longing that the human soul has in wanting something ‘different’. So why wouldn’t His promise found written back in the scrolls of Isaiah not get our attention when God promised: “Behold, I will do a new thing and it shall spring forth…” (Isa. 43:19) Why He even preceded that promise with this admonition: “Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old.” (18)
Can I just tell you that is exactly what Jesus came to do- He came to make all things new, to restore that which was dead. (Eph. 2:1; John 10:10). He came to make us a ‘new creation where old things are passed away and behold all things have become new”. (2 Cor. 5:17). And here’s the good part: this ‘newness’ can last ( as in not fade away) provided…we continue to walk with Him.
God likes new things too. But something we fail to recognize when it comes to experiencing newness of life, it also means the ‘former things are passed away’ or left behind. It is a bit of a paradox to say the least. We do get attached to that which we are familiar with. Familiarity equates to ‘comfort’ if we are honest with ourselves. That which we are familiar with can become a crutch or a rut that we don’t know how to let go of or get out of. Many others…are perfectly fine with living in a rut. I read in a novel years ago a line that was rather profound where someone defined a ‘rut as a grave with both ends opened up’.
So when it comes to God providing something new in our lives, it will require something of you: genuine change. It cannot be ‘business as usual’. How many of you have experienced that…where you made a tearful trek down an aisle at some church revival where you cried genuine tears and made sincere promises to God assuring Him…”This time…I’ll be different”. But then over time, you just drifted back into that old rut of routine…coasting back into old habits and falling in to old sins. (Oh, not those big bad ones of course- just those petty little foxes that spoil the vine- Song of Solomon 2:15). What happened? I’d imagine familiarity wooed you back. We like that which is familiar and predictable and comfortable, even when we are miserable in it. We can be strange creatures of habit, can we not?
And yet…the promise of becoming new still remains. I was reminded this week of the story of that blind man recorded in the gospel of Mark. We read where Jesus had come to Bethsaida and a blind man was brought to Him begging Jesus to touch him. Apparently they had heard other reports of the ‘blind seeing’. (Psst…He still does that today, you know!?). But it is vs 23 in chapter 8 there that really gets my attention: “So Jesus took the blind man by the hand an led him out of the town”.
You do realize that for a blind person, familiarity is everything to them. That is how they navigate in the darkness; they know where every curb, every pothole, every tree and wall is. They depend on the familiar to exist. Which is why Jesus took him by the hand and led him out of that place of comfortable familiarity. And then Jesus opened his eyes and he could see.
Actually on the first prayer, we read where he saw men as trees walking, which is rather profound and insightful that Jesus had him make that connection. Especially with all the discussion found in the gospels about fruit and knowing a tree by its fruit and how every tree that does not bear the right kind of fruit will be cut down. But that is not my focus today.
The point I feel compelled to draw your attention to is that before God can open your eyes and do a new thing in your life, oftentimes, He has to lead you out of that which is familiar to you. It tends to make you a bit more dependent on Him. Now that does not mean you have to get up and do something drastic like quit your job or leave your marriage or buy a one way ticket to ‘wherever’. But if you want to experience newness, be prepared for the old things to pass away and for all things to become new. And when He does do this, don’t forget what Jesus warned His disciples when He said: “Remember Lot’s wife”. (Luke 17:32). She looked back. Something about the familiar called out to her.
“No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62). His words, not mine.
And therein lies the reason so many will never experience the newness of God and the new life He came to offer us. We just are not ready to let go of that which is familiar to us, makes us feel comfortable and secure. I get it. Those things can be hard to let go of. My wife and I are in the process of having to ‘let go of a lot of things’ that we have accumulated over the years that won’t fit in the downsized home we have moved in to here in CA. But it’s part of the process.
Why there was another story of a blind man who had his eyes opened by Jesus. Perhaps you have read his story. His name was Bartimaeus and as he sat by the road begging, he heard Jesus was passing by. This was his chance. If he was ever going to break free of his world of darkness and dismal routine, now was the time. Despite the crowds hushing him, he cried out all the more: “Jesus have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48).
And Jesus stood still and commanded the blind man to be brought to Him. (49). That should send chills through you if you are remotely serious about God doing a new thing in You. But please make note of vs 50 that tells us Bartimaeus threw his garment aside as he rose and came to Jesus. That ‘garment’ was everything to this blind man if you study out the significance of it. He knew in his heart a new day had come and he would no longer need that which was familiar and comfortable to him.
Then, after a brief exchange with Jesus, his eyes were opened immediately…as he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. (52)
If you want the ‘new’, be willing and prepared to forsake the ‘old’. It will be a ‘trade-in’ like no other. Trust me on this one. ;- )
Let me add here that in the few days I have been here now (Bay Area of CA), it is quite clear I am so far removed from that place I grew familiar with...I can hardly wait to see what new things God has in store for me. But let me reiterate- you don't have to move across country to experience the newness of God!
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