Their eyes received sight, and they followed him

While studying the scriptures this evening two important things stood out to me. The following scriptures are in reference to two blind men who were sitting by the way when Jesus passed by as he was leaving Jericho.

Matthew Chapter 20:29-34

29: And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

30: And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

31: And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

32: And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

33: They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

34: So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

The Bible Dictionary states that: "Prayer is the act by which the will of the Father and the will of the child are brought into correspondence with each other. The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others, blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them."

...blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them.

In most, if not all instances of healing in the New Testament, Jesus is approached and asked by individuals for healing, either for themselves or others. This may not mean that he never healed anyone of his own accord but the accounts we have show that every time Jesus healed someone, he was asked to do so. Sometimes, he was asked more than once, as was the case with the blind men.

Just like those blind men, sometimes we need to ask more than once. Not because our Father in Heaven doesn't hear us the first time, but because we need to show our faith through continual prayer. Other times we may be asking for something that God isn't willing to grant or at least not at that particular time. But it's okay to keep asking. We need to remember that no concern or fear or joy is too trivial to express to our Heavenly Father in prayer. Yes, He may know of things we need before we ask, but if we never ask we may be missing out on blessings He is perfectly willing to bestow and will not give us otherwise.

The second thing that struck me particularly was verse 34. In the last sentence of verse 34 it reads:
 "...and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him."

The Lord healed them of their blindness and they followed him

I know there have been times in my life that I have asked that my eyes may be opened spiritually, to new knowledge, to spiritual growth or to the needs of others but that I haven't always followed the promptings that I have then been given. It is very significant to me that those blind men received sight, AND they followed him.

God giveth to Him that asketh but if we continue to prove unreliable in using the gifts we ask for, he will bestow them on others who will use them better.