Isaiah 6:10a Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes;

We, the disciples of Christ, have the Holy Spirit to show us the mysteries, to enlighten us, to show us the truth. It is not part of our experience to be dull eared nor blind. The Holy Spirit shows us so much, keeps us busy, deflecting evil and lighting our path.

When I am driving our car my wife will often comment on things she can see which escape me. I am intent on safety, I take my responsibility as driver very seriously. Does it mean that whatever she saw did not exist? No, nor are they important enough for me to take my eyes off the road.

This past week I have stopped and gazed upon something that has been pointed out to me. It was framed more of a question than an observation. I have searched the scriptures, I have prayed over the issue and I cannot see what has been posed. That does not mean that it doesn’t exist. It only means it have been held from my sight.

If I did see it, could explain it, could confirm its form and examine its reasoning for existence, what would I do with that knowledge? Would it change my course? Would it become more important than my calling? Would it become a source of pride? Would I join a cause which makes demands on men, governments and religions?

I have to choose ignorance and that God has blinded me on the issue. I have spent too long by the roadside gawking at something I will never see. It is time for me to return to my calling and let the issue go.

If you still think God will not blind His disciples, then why did not the eleven grab Judas and stop him when Jesus identified him as the traitor?

John 13:26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.

Because it did not serve God’s will that they should stop him. Nor does it serves God’s will for me to keep looking for things hidden from me.

Job 2:4 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.

No one likes to suffer. Physical pain such as a back injury not only is painful but keeps you from feeling like a person of worth. You cannot bend, lift, twist or participate in normal activities, work or play.

Beyond pain, that loss of ability causes emotional distress. Suddenly you are thinking about self. It is difficult to think about others when we are suffering. It is difficult to have quiet time. It is difficult to hear that still small voice above one’s own crying.

This too the Lord understands. He suffered far worse than anything I’ve had to endure. His ability to think and care about others did not diminish in His suffering. While He was being nailed to the cross, He asked the Father to forgive His tormentors.

I am not the Christ. I gave up on trying to bring you a devotional Saturday because I was in pain. I tried to write about my pain, but in made no sense. How can you make sense out of pain? Once again I look back to what Jesus went through to be able to relate to us on human terms, to know suffering, to have compassion based on shared experience.

I will try and remember this when praying for others. Their suffering is not theirs alone. We have all been subjected to suffering and may our prayers be earnest and compassionate. Lord hear our prayers.