Day 13 – God is Powerful: He Opens Blind Eyes

Day 13 — God Is Powerful: He Opens Blind Eyes

Opening prayer

Almighty God, as I read your Word today, remind me that salvation belongs to you. Free me from both pride and despair, and give me confidence that by your Spirit you can open blind eyes and shine the light of Christ into human hearts. Amen.

Headline

Because God is powerful, our job is not to convert people, but to point them to Jesus, trusting him to open blind eyes.

2 Corinthians 4:1-7

Comment

This week we have been considering three truths that help us take the next step in sharing Christ.

First, God is sovereign. No meeting is accidental. God has placed people around us so that they might seek him and find him.

Second, God is gracious. In Christ we are loved, forgiven, adopted and secure. The response of others does not define us, so we are free to love them, even when witness feels costly.

Today we come to the third truth: God is powerful.

Have you ever found yourself thinking, “The problem with sharing my faith is that it will never work. I won’t know what to say. I won’t be able to answer their questions. I won’t be persuasive enough. My witness will never be good enough to win someone to Christ”?

Here is the liberating truth: you are right.

You are not powerful enough to bring someone to Christ.

But you do not need to be.

In today’s reading, Paul explains the problem with remarkable honesty:

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ.” (v.4)

That helps us understand why people often do not see what we see. Why does my friend not seem interested in Jesus? Why does my family member not think about eternity? Why does my colleague not respond when the gospel sounds so wonderful to me?

Paul says that apart from God’s work, they cannot see. They are spiritually blind.

And neither you nor I are spiritual eye surgeons.

No clever argument, perfect answer, moving testimony, polished invitation or carefully chosen words can, by themselves, give spiritual sight. Of course, we should speak clearly, thoughtfully and lovingly. But we cannot open blind eyes.

Only God can. But he can.

Paul continues:

“For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made his light shine in our hearts.” (v.6)

When did God first say, “Let light shine out of darkness”? At creation. Paul is saying that the same God who brought light into being at the beginning of the world is able to shine his light into human hearts.

That is what happened when you became a Christian. God opened your eyes to see the glory of Christ. He gave you spiritual sight. He enabled you to recognise that in Jesus you see the face and glory of God.

So think of the person you know who seems least likely to become a Christian.

Dismissive. Wounded. Cynical. Busy. Comfortable. Uninterested. Opposed.

Then think of the God who made the stars.

Do you really think he cannot bring that person to faith?

Of course he can.

That means we can be humble and confident at the same time. Humble, because our job is not to convert people. Confident, because God can.

Paul says:

“What we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord.” (v.5)

Our job is to point to Jesus. God’s job is to open blind eyes.

That is deeply freeing. Successful witnessing is not someone becoming a Christian. Of course we long and pray for that. But conversion is God’s work. Successful witnessing is someone hearing about Jesus. It is not winning the argument, having every answer, or giving an eloquent speech. It is faithfully, humbly and lovingly pointing to Christ.

Why does God want you to hear this today? Perhaps because you feel the burden of trying to convert someone, and that burden is too heavy for you. It was never yours to carry. Your part is to witness to Jesus. God’s part is to open blind eyes. So pray, speak, and point to Christ with humble confidence, trusting the powerful God who makes light shine in the darkness.

Reflect

• Who do you know who seems least likely to come to faith in Jesus?
• What does 2 Corinthians 4:1–7 teach you about the spiritual blindness of unbelievers and the power of God?
• How does knowing that your job is to point to Jesus, not convert people, free you to witness with greater humility and confidence?

Action

Write down the name of someone who seems unlikely to come to faith.

Pray for them using 2 Corinthians 4:6:

“God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ please make your light shine in __________’s heart, so that they may see your glory in the face of Christ.”

Closing prayer

Almighty God, thank you that you opened my blind eyes to see your glory in Jesus Christ. Forgive me when I assume that someone is beyond your power, or when I take on the burden of trying to convert them myself. Help me to preach not myself, but Jesus Christ as Lord. Shine your light into the hearts of those I love, and give me humble confidence to point them to your Son. Amen.