Tag: works of God
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.
Believe and receive!
Scripture reading for October 26th: John 9, Psalm 64, Proverbs 28
John 9: 30-38 “The man answered, “Why this is an amazing thing! You do not know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, God listens to him. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a man born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born in utter sin, and would you teach us?” And they cast him out (of the synagogue). Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, “Do you believe in the Son of man?” He answered, “And Who is He, Sir, that I may believe in Him?” Jesus said to him, “You have seen Him, and it is He Who is speaking to you.” He said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped Him.”
John records this amazing miracle done by Jesus for a man who was born blind. The disciples had just asked why the man was born blind: Was it because of his sin or his parents? Jesus answered that neither case was true, but only that God’s works might be displayed in his life. He then anointed the man’s eyes with mud made from dust and saliva. He told the man to wash in the pool of Siloam and as he obeyed, sight was restored. All were in amazement and they questioned the man about who did this and how he did it. The Pharisees questioned him as well, finding out it was Jesus doing this, and on the Sabbath, they condemned the miracle. But faith had entered this blind man’s heart and eyes were opened physically and spiritually to receive sight and insight! Jesus revealed Himself to this man who was put out of the synagogue. He now worshiped Jesus as the Son of Man! The Pharisees became more blind than him!
Psalm 64: 7-9 “But God shoots His arrow at them; they are wounded suddenly. They are brought to ruin, with their own tongues turned against them; all who see them will wag their heads. Then all mankind fears; they tell what God has brought about and ponder what He has done.”
Prayer: Father God, how amazing is the miracle of sight for a man born blind! Yet more amazing still is his seeing Jesus Christ as the Son of Man, Savior and Healer! Help me to share Your love for the blind and lost through the Holy Spirit and even creative miracles that open eyes of understanding to reveal Jesus Christ the Savior through preaching of the Gospel. May all fear and testify of God’s works!
Proverbs 28:6 “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.”