"And these signs shall follow them that believe.... And the blind shall see"
My dad took those words of Jesus seriously... He often pointed out that Jesus didn't say" might" or "could" but a definite "shall". We are to expect those following in Jesus footsteps (his church) to walk in miracles such as returning sight to the blind.
Sure, analogies can be made to sight as wisdom, understanding, salvation... Ok. But the words themselves are meant in context to mean what they say... Physical miraculous healings. We are to walk in those.
One night that particular point was tested in dad. I remember it well.
This happened while we were meeting weekly at an old Presbyterian church building in woodsboro, long since torn down. Our family would often walk the 6 or 8 blocks from home to the church.
This particular night I remember watching strangers drive up. 2 or three people got out of the car and helped an elderly lady inside. She was obviously blind, walking with assistance and cane. I watched on the front steps as they helped her slowly update steps.
The small group sat near the front, on the right side. I sat several rows back as was my custom. The message I do not remember, nothing in particular. We followed the usual prayer, singing. Speaking. Then at the end... As he always did, dad ask the entire congregation if anyone had special needs for prayer.
The elderly lady motioned. Either herself or her companions explained that she had been totally blind, walking with a cane, most of her life. I do not remember if they said why. She had heard that here miracles happened, and so she came. She wanted her sight back.
Now, later I recall dad admitting that he was a bit apprehensive. There is always something that we think is too big for God, too much. Blindness was this for dad. He doubted. But faith is not the absence of doubt, faith is the ability to press forward in the midst of doubt. And so he did.
In front of the church, openly, he prayed for this poor lady and asked Jesus to restore her sight as his words promised. Nothing spectacular happened, no lightening bolt or thunder. But after praying she turned around and screamed! She could read the bulletin posted at the rear of the church. Just like that, calmly and suddenly, her sight was restored.
The amazing thing to me, is that miracles were so common in those days, that this night was not even astounding. It was "above average" in excitement, but only slightly. People were being healed and delivered weekly. It wasn't a surprise when God moved in this way, it was a curiosity of "what miracle shall we see this week".
So yes, these signs do in fact follow those that believe..... The blind do see. Even today.
