Isaiah 42:16 “I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them
    and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake them.”

What a beautiful promise! The thing is, it’s not just talking about the physically blind but about the spiritually blind, and that includes most of mankind. The problem is that the blind in particular like familiar paths, ones they can navigate from muscle memory, and God is talking about unfamiliar paths. He does promise light in the darkness, but that is later on. The first steps in particular call for faith, and that is where too many falter. We have to know we are being led, and trust the One leading us. The thing is, once we start following Him, we start seeing the light, on various levels. That’s when it gets exciting, and our steps become firmer. It is a glorious thing for someone who has been physically blind to have medical treatment that restores their sight, and it is even more glorious for the spiritually blind to be given spiritual sight. This is where the story of Jesus healing the man born blind, in John 9, is so telling. The climax of that comes at the end of the chapter, where the Pharisees confront Jesus about this miracle. “Jesus said, ‘For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.’ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, ‘What? Are we blind too?’ Jesus said, ‘If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.’” The claim to see when we actually can’t is dangerous indeed! None of us sees perfectly in this world, but the more we look to Jesus, the better we can see everything else.

This hits very close to home, because there was a time in my life when I thought I could see, and everyone else was blind. How incredibly stupid of me! Even now I have to remind myself of that very true statement by C. S. Lewis, that when we get to heaven, everyone will discover they were wrong somewhere. I am to rejoice in the light, the spiritual vision I have been given, but never think I have all the answers. I am to walk in humility and obedience, encouraging others to follow me as I follow Christ, (1 Corinthians 11:1) all the while praying that they will follow Him better than I do. I am to receive light from those who have it, and particularly those portions of the light that I haven’t yet recognized. I’m still partially color blind! However, I’m to take comfort in the fact that “If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

Father, thank You for this Word. Thank You for the conference over the past two days, and for the privilege of interpreting for it. Thank You for Your anointing as I did that. Thank You also for the fresh light You gave me even as I was interpreting it! May I indeed walk in all the light You give me, doing Your will on Your schedule for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!