Tag: John 9
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.
Work for the night is coming!
Scripture reading for April 18th: John 9
Key Scriptures for over-comers: John 9:1-4 “As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.”
God doesn’t promise us an easy life without any trials or tests. The disciples were under the impression that all sickness was the result of sin. In a sense they were right, but Jesus explained that sometimes God allows sickness and infirmity in the lives of people to fulfill a greater purpose. In this case, the work of God was displayed as Jesus healed the man born blind. The disciples were also instructed and we are learning as we read this story today! God has a long view of things that we must tap into to understand His ways.
Observations for over-comers: We must always be open to the Lord to display His glorious works. Trying to figure out the ‘whys’ can get us off the subject and we miss the real need and purpose. “Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,: does not He who weights the heart perceive it?” (Proverbs 24:11-12a)