And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, “Do you see anything?” Mark 8:23
Observe that the Lord Jesus chose not to heal the blind man in the village of Bethsaida where He was ministering but instead led him out of town. He could easily have healed the man in the public glare of the village. The text does not tell us why, but we can glean much wisdom here.
One is the value of a PRIVATE ENCOUNTER with the Master, away from the attention of other people. In His infinite wisdom, the Lord often prefers to deal with His flock far from the madding crowd. There are some blessings you can only receive in the absence of spectators, doubters, critics and skeptics.
Remember the strategy the Lord Jesus used when He healed Jairus’ daughter (Mark 5:35-43)? Do you recall what the Apostle Peter did before he brought back Dorcas to life (Acts 9:40)? In both cases, mourners were excluded before the miracle was performed. These are just a couple of additional biblical illustrations of the principle in today’s text.
Beloveds, have you noticed that we are living in a day and age when the desire for widespread attention has grown out of all proportion? With the abundant availability of social media and all kinds of gadgetry, global exposure has become possible for all and sundry. We no longer cherish quietude. The spiritual discipline of solitude has become rather archaic.
We all crave the limelight. We all want to be in the spotlight. Intrusive publicity is no longer the preserve of celebrities. Nowadays we all are “celebrities”. It’s the new norm. Young and older folks alike flaunt their private lives in public. Of course, inordinate exposure comes with its price tag. I believe with all my heart that premature exposure is dangerous.
Dear saint, learn to enjoy one-on-one fellowship with Jesus. In the words of the good old hymn: “Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; Spend much time in secret with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.”
From personal experience, some of the most precious encounters I’ve had with the Holy Spirit took place in the privacy of my closet. There are mysteries the Lord has revealed as I’ve spent time offstage rather than onstage. Years ago I received the baptism in the Holy Spirit when I was worshipping the Lord all on my own.
My dear friend, take advantage of this lockdown to slow down and enjoy the spiritual disciplines of silence, solitude, study, meditation and confession. Take time out for Jesus. Be ready to reboot. Tarry in His presence. Listen to the still voice of the Holy Spirit. Write down every Rhema. Your life will emerge from this crisis better off than worse off. God bless you richly.
Pastor Josh