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Scripture for the day: John 9:5-7 "As Long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing.
Thought for the day: Here's an interesting story, and we'll look at more of it tomorrow, perhaps. Sometimes we need to take time when we're reading God's word, particularly concerning the life of Jesus, to put ourselves in the scene that is unfolding before us. So let's set the scene for this miracle.
Jesus had built a reputation for Himself among the common people. Now I don't know whether or not this man knew who Jesus was; the Bible doesn't tell us that. But, as Jesus was passing by a certain place, He noticed the blind man sitting by the wayside. Notice it was Jesus who saw the hurting man; to the others he was invisible. They were too busy jockeying for position in the kingdom to be concerned with some blind beggar on the side of the road (hmmm; there's a whole sermon in that idea I think). Anyway, Jesus saw a perfect opportunity to help someone in need and demonstrate the love of the Father at the same time, so He stopped, faced the man and said, "I am the light of the world." Then He did something really strange; He spat on the ground and made some mud with which He anointed the man's eyes.
Now put yourself in the place of this blind man. You were born blind. You've never seen another human being, a flower, the sunset, or anything else in your whole life. There is no hope you'll ever be anything but blind. No medical cure is on the horizon, no scientific breakthrough is going to help you; you're condemned to wander in darkness all your life. Suddenly someone is kneeling down in front of you as you sit in the dust by the side of the road. Immediately you think perhaps this person has taken pity on you and will share some few coins with you or give you some food to eat. But no, He spouts some high-sounding words about who He is, most of which you don't even understand, and then dabs mud all over your eyes and tells you to go wash your face. How do you think you might react if that were you?
Most of us, if we're honest, would have to say we'd probably get angry, wipe the mud off and tell this insensitive clown to get away from us. How dare He give such false hope to someone helplessly blinded since birth? What kind of person would do such a thing? But there must have been something in the voice of Jesus that reassured the man. Perhaps there was something in the way Jesus commanded him to go and wash that convinced the man that Jesus wasn't teasing him and it wasn't some cruel joke at his expense. At any rate, he went, and when he did, he came back seeing! What faith it must have taken for him to stumble off toward the pool of Siloam, feeling his way along, no sight coming to him until he'd washed off the mud from his eyes. Perhaps he was so desperate for help he was willing to try anything, no matter how absurd it seemed.
And he came back seeing! What a joy it is when we do as Jesus asks, no matter how absurd it may seem to us, and He comes through for us every time. What has He asked you to do? What's been blinding you? Where has He asked you to step outside your comfort zone? Are you ready? Have you come to the place where you'd be willing to do anything He asks because the alternative is to remain as you are? Sometimes we have to get to the place where we're looking up to see the bottom before we're willing to surrender to His call and do as He asks. But, my friend, when we do, what miracles He brings to our lives.
Go take on your world. - Bill