Hello ,

When Pierre-Paul Thomas was growing up in Montreal, Canada in the 1940s he couldn't play hockey with his brothers and it broke his heart. Thomas was born blind-long before a cure was available. So for most of his life he could only imagine the world that people often described to him. For years he walked with a white cane to avoid obstacles in front of him. But at the age of sixty-six, Thomas fell down the stairs in an apartment building and fractured the bones of his face. He was rushed to the hospital with severe swelling around his eyes. A team of doctors went to work to repair the bones. Months later he went to be examined by a plastic surgeon for a consultation about repairing his scalp.

The surgeon casually asked Thomas, "Oh, while we're at it, do you want us to fix your eyes too?" Thomas did not understand. Nor did he know how to respond. Not long after that, Thomas had surgery and could truly see for the first time.

Suddenly his world consisted of bright colors he had never fathomed before. He spoke of being awestruck by flowers blossoming and trees blooming. As beautiful as this story of a sixty-year-old man who was able to see for the first time is, there is a sad reality. He could have had the same surgery at a younger age and been able to see earlier. Thomas had assumed such a possibility was impossible and had resigned himself to a life of blindness when, in reality, he could have experienced the gift of sight decades earlier.*

This story reminds me of the way some people grope through a spiritual life of darkness when the ability to truly see is available to them.  I'm not speaking merely about people in the world that don't know Jesus...there are many people who call themselves Christians...and yet still live in a dark place.  

They've chosen to: 

- Relegate themselves to a life of showing up at church. 

- Believing that they can somehow finally make it by believing this or that doctrine. 

- Blame someone (or everyone) else for their own spiritual condition.  As a pastor I've heard almost every excuse in the book...and the people that tell me are legitimately saddened by it.

We don't have to suffer from "spiritual blindness."  We can choose to turn to the only One Who has ever had the power to help us.  The cure exists, but without divine help...it's impossible.

Have a great day and God bless!

Pastor Mike / The Open Word

* The moment God changes everything.