I Can See Clearly Now

Mark 8:23-25
He took the blind man by the hand and led him outside the village.  When he had spit on the man's eyes and put his hands on him, Jesus asked, "Do you see anything?"
He looked up and said, "I see people; they look like trees walking around."
Once more Jesus put his hands on the man's eyes.  Then his eyes were opened, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

It is a common experience for those who have cataract removal/lens implant to encounter intrusive floaters and an indefinitely long recovery from the effects of dilation and the surgery itself.  I'm feeling extremely fortunate that my bounce back to stellar vision happens fairly quickly.

But in those first days?  I can so relate to the Biblical passage shared above!  When I visit Dr. H., my regular eye doctor, for a post-op, he tells me my pupil is still somewhat dilated, my floaters are "normal," and my vision, believe it or not, is 20/25.  Really???  It doesn't seem that way, at least in those moments.  My eye still feels beaten up, and Tylenol and eye-drops are my constant companions, but I do trust Dr. H.'s expertise, until I hear, "Who knows?  When you come back here in a week, your eyesight could be even better than that."

He must be kidding.  I mean, 20/25 is fantastic, isn't it?  I couldn't ask or hope for anything better.

But as always, God has other plans.

On my return visit, Dr. H. performs his routine check (Can I say I've had my fill of bright lights in my eyes at this point?).  Once complete, he grins from ear to ear.  "What did I tell you about your vision last week?"

"That it might improve?"

"Exactly!  Congratulations!  You're now seeing 20/15!"

20/15???  20/15!!!

Once I recover from the shock of this incredulous news, I can't stop smiling.  I am on the proverbial Cloud 9, and don't plan to descend from it any time soon.  What a miraculous gift this is!

It just took time . . .

~

So often when we pray to God, we want His answer to be quick, and we want it our way.  But as I've written here before, we control neither God's answers nor His timing.  He does.  When I go into surgery, I must admit, my prayer, aside from the ones about lasting through the fasting, is to come out with improved eyesight.  That's all.  Nothing more, nothing less.

But in those first hours after the operation, feeling like this blind man for whom people looked like trees walking around, I wonder, "How long, oh Lord, how long?  When will I truly see clearly?"

I can just picture Him shaking His head, and fixing me in His loving and ever-patient gaze.  "When I say so, my child.  Now, come!  Let me put My hands on your eyes."

In His time.  By His touch.  I see.

Clearly.

Amen!