John Chapter 9 is another favourite passage of mine. I have thought about the words of this passage when I was spending some serious time in a hospital bed, in a waiting room, in a recovery room.. just about every-hospital related thing….
I have even thought about this passage when I am no where near a hospital. It’s one that has so much truth stuffed into it that it almost explodes. While I don’t— and can’t explain everything in John chapter 9, I would like to try and explain a few things. So, here we go with John 9:
“As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?”
3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us.The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Ok, let’s stop here. A couple of things.
First of all, there was a popular train of thought in Jesus’ day that if someone was sick or ill, it was because of some unconfessed sin in their life, or even the parents had sinned— or even, the baby had sinned in his (or her) mothers womb— thus making the baby a sinner.
Sickness is not due to sin. Sin caused sickness, but just because one person is sick doesn't mean that they are a sinner. Sickness can be caused by multiple reasons, but just because someone is sick doesn't mean that they have sinned. (Job’s friends would disagree with me, but they were wrong too.)
I know this is the case because of what Jesus said in response to His disciples question. Hear it again: “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him.”
What. What?
This man was sick just so God’s power could be displayed in HIs life?
Yes. That’s how it reads.
IOW, God was going to tell a story; His Story though this sick man. The Story of salvation, of grace of mercy, of healing.
Think about your life right now. You are a prime candidate for God to tell a story, His story in your life, because of your life.
Sure your life might not be all it’s cracked up to be at this point in time, but God is still with you, He will continue to be with you, and He is at this exact moment using your story to tell His story through you.
His story is a story that needs to be told. His Story is a story that demands to be told, and just like this man who was born Blind, He wants to use your broken life to tell of His story to your world.
I have often thought that this is why I am at the stage of life that I am in right now— waiting for my third liver transplant— not pastoring a church— I am to let God tell of His story of grace, mercy, healing, love, salvation, through my story. Its my job to point to Jesus, and let Him tell others of His Story, though my story.
You as well. God will use anything in your life for His purpose. If you will only let Him.
Take a lesson from the blind man. Though He couldn't see much, He did know Jesus was the One who made Him see. Several times he told the Pharisees who it was that healed him.. even at great loss to him. (He was tossed out of the synagogue because of his testimony about Jesus)
But what lost, He more than made up for in Jesus. He found the Light of the world and was able to see that God was telling His story though His life.
Think about this my friends: God is using everything in your life, good, bad and ugly, and telling a story. His Story. Don’t get too angry or upset if things don’t turn out exactly as you had imagined, God is at work and he will use you to tell His story. Will you take after the blind man and point to Jesus, or will you be like the Pharisees and miss the miracle completely? the choice is up to you, but I am choosing to let God tell His story thought me.
Check out this song, by Big Daddy Weave here. This is allowing God to tell His Story through us.
No comments:
Post a Comment