John 9: 1-12
As he 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?”
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so the work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Having said this, he spit 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” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was.
Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”
But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
“How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded.
He 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.”
“Where is this man?” they asked him.
“I don’t know,” he said.
A Thought
Jesus takes a man who was blind from birth to teach his disciples and us lessons about the work of God. My first thought is to know that God perhaps uses sickness to bring glory to his name. When we are weak, God will give us the strength to endure all of our sufferings whether we are healed or not. As we receive the light of Christ we must reflect the love of God to others in a world of darkness that they may receive their sight. The blind man received his sight because he had faith to obey what Christ told him to do–to wash in the pool of Siloam. After receiving his sight, the blind man then became a witness of what Christ had done causing him to see.
Our Prayer
Father without you we are all blind living in darkness. Awaken us to receive more of the light of Christ with more faith to be your obedient witness to work for you while it is day. Revive us in the power of your Holy Spirit. We ask in Jesus’ name, amen.
