February 18, 2025: Having Eyes but Do Not See, Having Ears but Do Not Hear

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In Scripture, the phrase “having eyes, do not see; having ears, do not hear” is a powerful rebuke used by Jesus and the prophets. It’s not about physical blindness or deafness but about spiritual perception. Why do people with sight and hearing still fail to understand? What does this mean for us today?

The Biblical Context

This phrase appears multiple times in the Bible:

  • Isaiah’s Prophecy (Isaiah 6:9-10): God commissions Isaiah to speak to a people whose hearts are hardened. They hear but don’t understand; they see but don’t perceive.
  • Jesus’ Use of the Phrase (Mark 8:17-18): Jesus challenges the disciples, asking, “Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear?” despite witnessing His miracles firsthand.

Why Don’t People See or Hear?

  1. Hardened Hearts: Repeated resistance to God’s truth leads to spiritual callousness. Like Pharaoh, whose heart grew hard with each rejection of God’s command, stubbornness blinds the soul.
  2. Pride and Self-Reliance: Those who think they “know it all” are often the most spiritually blind. The Pharisees were religious scholars but failed to recognize the Messiah standing before them.
  3. Worldly Distractions: In today’s world, noise and busyness drown out God’s voice. The constant pursuit of success, pleasure, and approval can desensitize us to spiritual realities.

A Call to Self-Examination

Jesus’ words challenge us to examine our hearts:

  • Are we truly listening to God’s voice, or just hearing words without transformation?
  • Do we see God’s work in our lives and the world around us, or are we blinded by doubt and disbelief?

Jesus promised, “Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear” (Matthew 13:16). This blessing is for those who approach God with openness, humility, and faith.

The world is full of signs of God’s presence, but only those with spiritual eyes can see. Like the disciples on the road to Emmaus, whose eyes were opened when Jesus broke the bread (Luke 24:31), we need moments of divine revelation.

Let our prayer be like that of the blind man in Mark 10:51, “Lord, I want to see.” May God grant us eyes that see His glory and ears that hear His voice, so we may walk faithfully in His truth.

 

Reflect and Share

Have you experienced moments of spiritual blindness or deafness? How did God open your eyes or ears? Share your journey in the comments below. Let’s learn and grow together in faith.

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