1) Silence, Stillness and Centering before God (2 min)
2) Scripture Reading: John 9:1-12
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His 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 works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying 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. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some 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 asked. 11 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.” 12 “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.
As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His 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 works of God might be displayed in him. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” 6 After saying 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. 8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some 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 asked. 11 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.” 12 “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.
3) Devotional Thought
Many people marvel at this miracle performed by Jesus. However as I read this passage, my focus is on the disciples because I am so quick to pass judgment on others. I especially like to focus on the shortcomings of others because it makes me look better in my own eyes. When I do this, I am so pathetic. I make such poor judgments, just like the disciples, because I can’t really see the journey others have been on or how far they have come in their relationship with God. Additionally, I can’t see God’s purpose in what He is doing until after He is finished. In this case of restoring the blind man’s sight, Jesus reveals God’s purpose before He is finished performing this healing. His purpose was to reveal God’s glory to this blind man, the disciples and an entire crowd.
I always want to know what God is doing and why. It seems the closer I get to Him by reading His Word, praying and obeying Him, the more I see Him do and the more I understand why He is doing it. The less I read His Word and pray, the more I rely on myself to make judgments about what I think I see Him doing and why I think He is doing it. Remember these truths spoken of in the book, Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby: 1) God is always at work around us and He wants us to join Him in His work, and 2) God wants a intimate love relationship with us that is real and personal. If we have that relationship with God, we will see where He is working, we will join Him in His work, and we will know why He is working as we work by His side. What we won’t be doing is judging others or judging God.
4) Questions to Ponder
Many people marvel at this miracle performed by Jesus. However as I read this passage, my focus is on the disciples because I am so quick to pass judgment on others. I especially like to focus on the shortcomings of others because it makes me look better in my own eyes. When I do this, I am so pathetic. I make such poor judgments, just like the disciples, because I can’t really see the journey others have been on or how far they have come in their relationship with God. Additionally, I can’t see God’s purpose in what He is doing until after He is finished. In this case of restoring the blind man’s sight, Jesus reveals God’s purpose before He is finished performing this healing. His purpose was to reveal God’s glory to this blind man, the disciples and an entire crowd.
I always want to know what God is doing and why. It seems the closer I get to Him by reading His Word, praying and obeying Him, the more I see Him do and the more I understand why He is doing it. The less I read His Word and pray, the more I rely on myself to make judgments about what I think I see Him doing and why I think He is doing it. Remember these truths spoken of in the book, Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby: 1) God is always at work around us and He wants us to join Him in His work, and 2) God wants a intimate love relationship with us that is real and personal. If we have that relationship with God, we will see where He is working, we will join Him in His work, and we will know why He is working as we work by His side. What we won’t be doing is judging others or judging God.
4) Questions to Ponder
Can you see God working and do you know why He is doing what He is doing? Is your relationship so intimate with God that He is revealing His purposes to you?
5) Prayer
Lord, I want to be so intimate with You that You will want to reveal Yourself, Your plans and Your purposes to me. Holy Spirit, help me to do the things necessary to develop a deep love relationship with You. Give me the discipline to read Your word and pray so that the Father can reveal Himself to me. In Jesus name, Amen.
Lord, I want to be so intimate with You that You will want to reveal Yourself, Your plans and Your purposes to me. Holy Spirit, help me to do the things necessary to develop a deep love relationship with You. Give me the discipline to read Your word and pray so that the Father can reveal Himself to me. In Jesus name, Amen.
