Envisioning faith journey depends on three basic components; place, people and personal faith. How these three components effect any individual’s personal faith? To know the answer, let us turn our attention to the healing stories of two blind men found in Mark 8: 22-26 and 10: 46-52. In the first account of the healing story, Jesus Christ made a second attempt to heal the blind man of Bethsaida . Why did Jesus make second attempt? It’s seems that Jesus was unable to cure blind man in his first attempt. Mark tells us that Jesus touched his eyes again. It appears that Jesus was failed to perform a miracle in his first attempt. I think that the blind man whose faith background was based on the three above components create an atmosphere in which second attempt of Jesus was needed. There are three reasons, why did it happen?
Firstly, Bethsaida was a place where many miracles had been done but people of this city did not repent (Matthew 11:21-22). Secondly, the people of the city just came to examine Jesus. Thirdly, the personal faith of the blind man was not deep rooted. He did not come himself to receive healing rather he was brought by the people. He did not take an initiative to be healed. So these three factors created an atmosphere that Jesus made a second attempt to perform a miracle in Bethsaida .
Similarly, when we Journey with Christ the place, people and our personal faith lead us to envision our faith journey. In the second account where Jesus cured a blind man of Jericho named Bartimaeus, these three components made a great impact of the life of the blind man. As we aware, how God destroyed the great wall of Jericho (Jos.6), consequently, the people were become so faithful and obedient. They believed in the miracles of the God Almighty. The blind man also took an initiative to call Jesus after hearing that Jesus is going through this way. Interestingly, people rebuked him but he continuously cried. But when Jesus heard his voice not only he stopped but healed him.
I encourage that whenever, Jesus Christ stopped and stayed in the life of any individual or community the great transformation took place in the human history. In the life of this blind man place, people and his personal faith were so important to receive healing in the first attempt of Jesus. Even though, the people were against for some time but when Jesus listened his cry and stopped those who were against turn their position and invited him to meet Jesus. Therefore, we can say that in a believer’s life place, people, his/ her personal faith and relationship with God always make a difference.
We as a people of God, the challenge in front of us is, are we able to build our own faith and relationship with God that depends on these three components? Are our visions deep rooted in the right understanding of gospel? How do the place, people and our personal faith affect our Journey with Christ? Journey with Christ demands our careful attention towards the context in which we live, and a healthy understanding to know our fellow being. As a community coming from the diverse backgrounds our challenge is to become a channel of learning from others and upholding each other in the Journey with Christ.
Ashok Kumar Ram Rana
(B.D.III)
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