Jan 24 - Jesus Heals a Blind Man

Read John 9:1-11

Context: Jesus has been discussing God with some who professed to be believers, and He actually admitted that He was the "I am." They picked up stones to stone Him, but He hid Himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.

Text:
1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"
3"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
6Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 7"Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, "Isn't this the same man who used to sit and beg?" 9Some claimed that he was. Others said, "No, he only looks like him." But he himself insisted, "I am the man."
10"How then were your eyes opened?" they demanded.
11He replied, "The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see." (NIV)

taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/

This man had been blind from birth, and both he and his family were the subject of judgmental glances -- surely either he or his parents had sinned for this disability to have occurred. Yet God had been preparing the blind man for this healing moment since he was knitted in his mother's womb.

It is easy to feel sorry for ourselves or others because of the difficulties we face. But what if God is preparing to use those to bring Himself glory?

I also find it interesting that this is one of the few miracles of Jesus that required effort on both His part and the part of the blind man. Jesus made and applied mud to the man's eyes, and he had to go wash in a particular pool. God doesn't always act in the most expeditious ways (after all, he'd healed many with just a word), and He often asks for our participation and belief as He works His plan. I wonder how many times I've not believed enough to act upon His instructions and I've missed out on miracles that would have removed my blindness?