And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. 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?” And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.”
Mark 8:22-24 ESV
I never ceased to be amazed at this particular incidence in the Bible.
One of the things I love so much about the Lord Jesus Christ, is that He never turned anybody away disappointed except for those Pharisees who were always looking for things to indict Him. Otherwise, everyone that came in search of one miracle or the other experienced the divine mercies and touch of Jesus. Even those that didn’t come in search of miracles experienced His divine touch: e.g the invalid man by the pool of Bethesda (John 5) and the widow of Nain whose dead son was on the way to the graveyard (Luke 7). Jesus had compassion on them, walked up to them to heal and to raise from the dead. What a marvelous God! I therefore at this point pray, that may the Lord visit (my) your situation, beyond your asking and beyond your expectation, with a divine touch. Amen!
Each time I read the story of the man in the passage above, I am touched at the whole scenario. The man needed to gain his sight back; Jesus performed the healing miracle on him, yet his sight was not fully restored; it was a partial one! I believe there is a lesson for us in this. It is not that Jesus could not have done it once. After all, there were so many other blind who received instant miracles at just one encounter; even a lot more people who received other forms of miracles and they were instant!
Thank God, the man mentioned it when he was asked if he could see. I wonder what would have happened if he had left, thanking God for the partial and incomplete miracle; what would have happened if he had said to himself “half a loaf is better than none” and he went away with partial sight when he could have received a complete touch and sight restoration. It would have been a disastrous thing for this man to leave with a partial ability to see especially since he claimed to be able to “see men walking as trees”. He could go beyond just seeing men as trees to cutting down the trees for firewood or for making furniture or for other construction merely because he was seeing them differently from what they actually are!
That is the danger of an incomplete encounter! Those who have not had a personal encounter with the Lord will do anything with the gospel other than what it is meant for. No wonder we have so much error in the Church today: courtesy of those whose salvation experience is incomplete; having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.
However, my focus on this writeup is the fact that Jesus had to give the man a second touch which turned out to be the needed complete touch! An incomplete miracle is not good enough: it is incomplete and what we need is a complete touch; a complete visitation; a complete miracle and thereafter, a complete testimony!
As the year runs to an end, there probably may still be certain things that are meant for you which are yet to reach you fully or reach you at all. There could be doors that have opened partially but which need to be fully opened. There could be connections which are not complete yet for the miracle you need, to click. There could be procedures which may still need a second touch of the Lord, for them to manifest in full victory. There may be supplies which are not fully delivered yet and they have to, so your songs of testimonies can burst forth. There may be answered prayers that are yet way-laid along the way like in the case of Daniel, until the angel encountered the principality standing on the way; there could be so many and various things that need divine intervention for a complete miracle to take place. Jesus is still in the business of giving a second touch when and where needed; He is still desiring to deliver a total and complete package for your peculiar situation. We may need to mention them to Him again for a second and complete touch!
It is my prayer, that you and I will encounter Him again and again! May we receive a complete touch! May He visit us in ways beyond our expectations with a divine touch that will bring complete testimonies! May all that is due me (and you), which however are still not within our reach yet, but are meant to be part of our lot this year, be delivered unto us before the end of this year. Amen!
©Funmi Adebayo