Day Thirty-seven – Matthew 12:22-32

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you

Then a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute was brought to Jesus, and He healed him, so that the mute man spoke and saw. Matthew 12:22

In this story we meet one of the many anonymous characters that appear in the gospel. In this instance, a man who was blinded and silenced by demon-possession was brought to Jesus. It is beautiful to see how people had learned to take their problems and hardships to Jesus–even the most severe cases.

Did this man, tortured as he was, hold out any hope that he would ever be healed of his condition? Had he ever fantasized a scene in which his sight suddenly returned and his mouth was opened so that he could speak? Or had his soul slipped into complete despair? Isn’t despair a mental dungeon where people are imprisoned in a diabolical darkness?

Someone brought the man to Jesus, and He healed him. Matthew tells the story so simply that he makes Jesus’ work look easy. But even in this brief scene we have the whole gospel. Jesus Christ entered the world to bring God’s power into our human condition, defeating the power of evil and setting people free.

He healed him, demonstrating his compassion for all who suffer and his ability to overcome the effects of evil. Jesus kicked down the dungeon door and brought this poor soul out of despair and into the light of salvation.

He healed him, the man whose condition was beyond the treatments and therapies of his day; the man who could not heal himself. Jesus did what no other person could do. Reaching one hand into heaven and the other into the darkness, Jesus became a conduit of the Spirit for releasing this man from the power of evil and the damage it had done to his life.

We thank You, Lord Jesus, for delivering us from the darkness of despair and hopelessness. Our total well being depends entirely on Your word, Your touch, Your love, and Your kindness. Thank You for loving us when everyone else avoided us. Please make us agents of Your healing. Send Your Spirit into our lives so that in this world we are able to curb evil and bring people into the hope of Your radiant light.