According to Your Faith

After healing the daughter of Jairus and bringing her back to life, "Jesus departed from there" and "two blind men followed Him" (Matt. 9:27a). They kept "crying out and saying, 'Son of David, have mercy on us!'" (v. 27b).

"When He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him" (v. 28a). What house? I can't say definitively, but Jairus served in a synagogue and they were in the vicinity of Capernaum, so this is most likely the home of Peter, where Jesus usually stayed when in the area.

"Jesus said to them, 'Do you believe that I am able to do this?'" (v. 28b). He was interested in what they believed. Did they know who He was and did they believe that He could restore their sight? "They said to Him, 'Yes, Lord'" (v. 28c). They did understand, and they believed! Belief is important in having your prayers heard and answered.

"Then He touched their eyes, saying, 'According to your faith let it be to you.' And their eyes were opened" (vv. 29-30a). Belief and faith go hand-in-hand. Jesus encouraged them to confess their faith in Him, but He was the one who healed. Their faith was important, but it did not heal them. Jesus healed them by the power of His grace.

Again, "Jesus sternly warned them, saying, 'See that no one knows it'" (v. 30b). As we have noted before, it is not yet time for a full revelation of who Jesus is. Yet, as usual, these two men pay no attention, but spread the news of their healing by Jesus to everyone who would listen "in all that country" (v. 31).

It is important to understand, as Jesus taught here, our faith is important in having our prayers heard and answered, but our faith does not answer our prayers, nor does faith heal us. Jesus does. By the power of His grace, Jesus answers prayers and heals. Amen.