So Far . . . No Further.

Scriptural Readings: John, 9:1-7, 5:5-9, Mark 5:25-29

If we think that so far, we are still defeated in life with anxieties and uncertainties, and a feeling our prayers seem to be unheard of, then something is missing. Anxieties and uncertainties place us depending on someone or something. Whether we like it or not, aware or unaware at all, our emotions and thoughts agree together, telling us that we are not well from inside or outside our well-being. Our conscience and intellectual properties are working together, finding ways to eliminate these things that bother us, putting us back where we were doing our best. These things will indeed come and go, but the big question is, are we learning from our experiences?

John, 9:1-7

King James Version

V.1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth.

V.2 And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

V.3 Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.

V.4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work.

V.5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

V.6 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

V.7 When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay,

New Living translation

V.1 As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 

V.2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”

V.3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 

V.4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.

V.5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”

V.6 Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes.

V.7 He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam” (Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!

This fellow was blind from birth, and to make money, he is begging for it. Can we say that he never regretted his situation even once? Was he also hoping that his situation would not go further? We can speculate. But for most of us who freely move, are we blind to the truth? Are we lost, hopeless and helpless? When God plans something, it has to be accomplished because he sets a time frame. There is a boundary.

It was not a coincidence that Jesus was there. It was all planned. His faith ended his misery. We can be spiritually blind, or the only thing we see is a vast ocean of helplessness and hopelessness, resorting to daily complaints. We must see with our spiritual eyes, or we will not see, the meaning of truth in our spiritual lives.

John 5:5-9

King James Version

V.5 And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years.

V.6 When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time [in that case], he saith unto him, Wilt thou be made whole?

V.7 The impotent man answered him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me.

V.8 Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.

V.9 And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath.

New Living translation

V.5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years.

V.6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?”

V.7  “I can’t, sir,” the sick man said, “for I have no one to put me into the pool when the water bubbles up. Someone else always gets there ahead of me.”

V.8 Jesus told him, “Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!”

V.9 Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath,

Here is another guy who has the same situation with no assurance of development, and with all odds against him, he never raised the white flag. He could be stuck in that same spot in his lifetime, but his faith and spirit move. And so did God make His move, making him whole. Are we still in the same spot? Remember, faith moves mountains. We might be thinking that we are in the most difficult situation in life, and there is no hope. God is asking us, “Would you like to get well?”  What would be our response? Let us not give excuses.  

Mark 5:25-29

King James Version

V.25 And a certain woman, which had an issue of blood twelve years,

V.26 And had suffered many things of many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was nothing bettered, but rather grew worse,

V.27 When she had heard of Jesus, came in the press behind, and touched his garment.

V.28 For she said, If I may touch but his clothes, I shall be whole.

V.29 And straightway the fountain of her blood was dried up, and she felt in [her] body that she was healed of that plague.

New Living translation

V.25 A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding.

V.26 She had suffered a great deal from many doctors, and over the years she had spent everything she had to pay them, but she had gotten no better. In fact, she had gotten worse.

V.27 She had heard about Jesus, so she came up behind him through the crowd and touched his robe.

V.28 For she thought to herself, “If I can just touch his robe, I will be healed.”

V.29  Immediately the bleeding stopped, and she could feel in her body that she had been healed of her terrible condition.

This woman’s hopelessness and helplessness are not different from today. The only thing left is a miracle. There are two things that we can see here; faith and perseverance. Do we have these two? One may say yes, but are we serious about it, or are we still overtaken by our fear and distrust in Jesus? The answer lies in ourselves. God touches lives. He lets us know through small things, however, we remain unappreciative. But when we cannot handle our problems anymore, this is the only time we come to His throne of grace, and this time, we should touch Him!

Anxieties and uncertainties will never end. They will come, and they will go. But God sets boundaries in all our hopelessness and heartaches. He will not let them go any further. Whatever the worst things that so far are enslaving us will always come to an end. Faith in God makes us understand Him in the best way. It is a lot easier to believe in movies we have seen, heard, and read twisting stories in books that have given us hope, but it seems to be impossible as we pray daily to believe in what our God can do for us. 

So far, many of us are still suffering. The unbearable pain blinds us to the truth about what God can do. We are lame because we do not have enough courage to stand up for our faith and approach God in His throne of grace. If we think so far we are still defeated in life with anxieties and uncertainties, God had set boundaries on these issues. It will go no further. We will be free. When Jesus said, “It is finished” He ended everything, including our hopelessness and helplessness. He gave us an overcoming and victorious life. Alleluia!