Tag: blind from birth
Seeing the Light!
Scripture reading for April 17: John 9
“As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him Who sent Me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the Light of the World.” Having said these things, He spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then He anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.” John 9:1-7
Jesus loved to do miracles that showcased the goodness and mercy of His Father. He declared that He was ‘the Light of the World” that came to drive out darkness. This man, blind from birth, would help Jesus to display the ‘works of God’. This man’s eyes apparently hadn’t formed correctly during his time in his mother’s womb. Jesus chose to make mud and apply it to his eyes, in a creative miracle. The man’s faith was in obeying Jesus’ instructions to wash in the pool of Siloam. As he washed, his eyes were opened and light flooded his formerly darkened world!
We often ask the wrong question when confronted with sickness, disease, or deformity. We wonder about root causes and this is not necessarily bad to seek after. But Jesus used these same things as opportunities to display the heart of His Father to heal and show mercy leading to a revelation of God’s goodness and eternal life. God ‘sent’ Jesus into the world as it’s ultimate “Light!” Jesus sent the blind man with mud in his eyes to the pool of Siloam (sent) to experience Light. He sends His disciples with Good News that will bring light to all who believe!
Have you ever asked questions about why certain sicknesses or deformities happen to good people? How does this account of Jesus’ answer and demonstration of God’s mercy help you? Have you responded to Jesus in His ‘sending’ of His followers to share this light?
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your demonstration of mercy and the opening of my eyes to see the glorious Light of Life in Jesus Christ. Thank You for sending Jesus and then for sending me out to share the Good News of a Savior Who brings light to the world! Amen.
Displaying God’s Works!
Scripture reading for November 3rd: John 9
Key Scriptures: John 9:1-5 “As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of Him Who sent Me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
When the lights are turned on, everything in the room becomes visible! When Jesus came into the world, He came as the “Light of the World,” to illuminate the darkness over men’s souls and reveal His Father’s glory Jesus used this man that was born blind to illustrate for His disciples and us how God’s heart to bring light into this dark world works. Jesus performed a creative miracle, making some mud from dirt and saliva, and putting it on the man’s blind eyes. He was told to wash in the pool of Siloam and when he did, he was healed and light flooded his life! The Pharisees and religious leaders got upset over this miracle because it was done on the Sabbath. They called the formerly blind man in and questioned him and his parents, seeking to discredit Jesus and the miracle. The darkness over their own souls was visible!
John 9:39-41 “Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near Him heard these things, and said to Him, “Are we also blind?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would have no guilt, but now that you say, ‘We see’ your guilt remains.””
Faith confession and prayer: Father God, thank You for displaying the works of healing, miracles, and forgiveness of our sins that we may have light in the darkness of our sinful souls. Thank You for Jesus, the Light of the World! May His light in me illumine every area of my heart and shine out to illuminate the darkness of others who are blind to Your grace and love.
John 9:25 “So for the second time they called the man who had been blind and said to him, “Give glory to God; We know that this Man is a sinner.” He answered, “Whether He is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”