Stone-Blind
2 Corinthians 4:4
[T]he god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
A few years ago, I took my family to the beautiful Sight and Sound Theater in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, to witness the live production Noah’s Ark. When Noah’s neighbors were mocking him for building the ark, I thought about what that biblical scene must have involved. How could the neighbors still refuse Noah’s invitation after seeing the animals arrive in pairs and walk into the ark? They had heard Noah’s message. They had been warned of God’s coming wrath. But even when they eventually saw dark clouds forming, they refused to make a reservation on the ark until it was too late. How blind; how tragic.
There are many consequences to rejecting the gospel of Jesus Christ. As one Puritan leader remarked long ago, “The man who deliberately shuts his eyes against the light of Truth shall gradually lose the power of seeing.” But Satan isn’t just in the business of blinding unbelievers to the gospel—he is determined to blind believers in a different way. He wants to lure us into a state of spiritual lethargy where nodding heads and drooping eyes no longer glimpse the glory of Christ. He parades the culture of Vanity Fair in front of us, so we grow more accustomed to—and linger more affectionately on—the attractions of Babylon, rather than the green pastures of fellowship with Christ.
I’ve heard a joke about Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who were camping outside one night when Holmes suddenly awakened Watson. “Watson, look up at the stars and tell me what deductions you can make.” Watson responded, “Well, I see millions of stars. I suppose that if even a few of those have planets, it’s quite possible there are some planets like earth. And if there are a few planets like earth out there, there might also be life.” To that Holmes responded, “Watson, you idiot—somebody stole our tent!”
Consider this a wake-up call. While the world around you is blind to gospel truth, make sure you open the eyes of your heart today. Focus your attention on the Lord, who deserves your adoration and loyalty above anything else. Carefully watch Him; you won’t miss anything else.