Our Personal Blindfolds

Scripture

Our verse for today comes from Luke 22:64, ” They also blindfolded Him and kept asking Him, ‘Prophesy! Who hit You?’ “

Background

I wonder which hurt Jesus more, the beatings or the taunts. As He stood there, bound like a convicted criminal, did His heart break more with each strike, or with each word of venom? Loving the men who treated Him so badly, what agony did He endure as He stood there, the cure for what drove them to be so hateful? And then, one of the guards has the idea of blindfolding Him to elevate the mockery, but they didn’t realize that Jesus already could see right into their hearts. They blindfolded Him, but they were the ones who couldn’t see. They couldn’t see into eternity past, when the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit agreed on the salvation plan for an entire race of sinners. They couldn’t see into the garden of Eden, where God watched His first children turn their backs on Him and mock His promises. They couldn’t see thirty years earlier, when the time came for Jesus to get off His throne beside the Father, and begin His time as the humble servant of the ones He created. And they couldn’t see the next day, when Jesus would walk up a hill and hang on a cross, bearing the punishment for what they were doing to Him. But Jesus could.

Application

He saw it all, and it kept His hands by His side. He saw it all, and it kept His mouth closed from defending Himself to His accusers. He saw it all, and it brought Him to the manger. He saw it all, and it kept Him on the cross. In spite of what He saw, where the darkness of our hearts is much starker than the dishonor in our eyes or the anger in our voice or the violence of a strike, He never wavered in His love. As we hit Him in the face or kicked Him in the back of His legs to drive Him to His knees, He had already forgiven us. He knew we couldn’t see what was so obvious to Him. But do we see it now? Do we see how extravagant and boundless His love for us is? Do we see through our personal blindfolds and forgive the ones who know not what they do? Will we see the amazing holiness of God and let it move us to worship Him in words and deeds? Will you today see more than what your eyes can show you?

Charge

As we seek Him today, thank God for His vision that is infinitely better than 20/20. And ask Him to open your eyes to what you need to see, whether inside of you or all around you.