I'm sure there have been times when you have pictured something in your mind that you had never seen before, but it had only been described to you. Then, when you did see the real thing for yourself it was very different than you had imagined.
In this true story the Lord Jesus Christ gets a blind man to see things right that he had only been able to imagine before; but He also has to help His disciples, because they were imagining things that were wrong!
Jesus wants you and me to see things in a right way, and this story will help us to do that a bit better.
"As Jesus 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?'" (verses 1-2.)
Maybe you sometimes think like that about illnesses.
Jesus told them that the man's blindness was not due to the sins of either this man nor his parents but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. (verse 3.)
It is wrong to imagine that all illnesses or disasters are the direct result of some particular sins. (Luke 13:1-5.) Yet it is true that illnesses can sometimes be the result of badly treating our bodies, or of particular sins. (Romans 1:24-27. 1st Corinthians 11:23-30.)
Some people would argue that if there is a God then there should be no diseases! Well that is certainly the way God planned it should be - but mankind disobeyed their Creator!
You see, if you ignore the maker's instructions about any gadget you have then you are running the risk of destroying it, or at least not getting the best out of it. When mankind disobeyed our Maker's instructions we brought upon creation the horrible results of the curse of sin. (Romans 5:12-21. 8:18-25.)
Sickness, disease and death are some of the effects of the curse of sin that are upon all mankind. Just as death is not only for evil people, so sickness and disease do not only effect the wicked.
But, God can, and does, help those who trust in Him - and even their illnesses and disabilities can be used for the glory of God! (Romans 6:28. 2nd Corinthians 12:7-10!)
Jesus said, "While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world." (verse 5.) He was the "Light" that had come to put away the darkness and despair caused by SIN, and to bring Light and Hope instead. (John 10:10. Romans 5:1-5.)
Jesus then "spat on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. 'Go,' He told him, 'wash in the pool of Siloam'" -So, the man went and washed, and came home seeing. (verses 6-7.)
This man had seen something very important before his blind eyes were opened! He had seen the wisdom of trusting and obeying Jesus!
Have you seen this wonderful truth yet, despite the diseases and disasters all around. Light and Hope are to be found in Jesus Christ. Anyone who trusts in Christ as their only Priest and Saviour is a "new creation" - his/her life and attitudes will be changed for the glory of God the Saviour. (2nd Corinthians 5:17.)
Read of the blind man's discovery in John's Gospel chapter 9, verses 1-11.
John Nixon, Cork, Ireland. P31HD98. Contact: jnixonj@gmail.com
For the next
reading from John's Gospel go to NEXT
In order to browse
further "Good News Compage" prompts and commentaries for John's
Gospel go to
---------------oOo---------------
