Article September 30, 1985 Issue

The second effort

VIRGINIA L. AUSTIN

Recently, as I was watching a telecast of a football game, I noticed that the announcer would repeatedly refer to the great second effort the fullback was making. It enabled him to gain the yardage needed to put him over the goal line. My thought was arrested by these two words, "second effort."

How important, it seemed to me, that we do not let overwhelming odds, fear, fatigue, or even pain keep us from making, if necessary, the second prayerful effort that could assure us of victory over a physical, financial, or personal relationship challenge. The Bible gives us an important example of the rewards of a second effort. Mark records the following incident from our great Master's healing ministry. A blind man was brought to Jesus to be healed. "And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly."^{Mark 8:23–25.}

Jesus did not give up when the healing was not at first completely realized. Responding again to the need, with surety and serenity, Jesus fully saw through the illusion of a sightless mortal to the reality of man's immortal perfection as the creation of God, Spirit. The healing was complete.

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