The Cause of a Trial

Today’s devotion is from John 9:1-9.

Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva; and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay. And He said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated, Sent). So he went and washed, and came back seeing. Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?” Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.”

The part of this story that grabs my attention the most isn’t the miracle itself, but rather the assumption that the disciples made. “Who sinned?” they asked. The assumption was that sin was the cause of affliction. Now, I will acknowledge that if we operate out of the will of God he will correct us, and just as the actions of discipline our parents took when we were children, it will not always feel good. But as we lay this truth of God’s wrath, judgment, and correction aside let us look as the other side of the coin, according to Job 1:1 speaking of Job, “and that man was blameless and upright, and one who feared God and shunned evil.” If he was blameless why did he suffer? What about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego? They were faithful yet still had to walk in the flames. Just because we are facing a difficult time does not mean the God is mad at us. Job was tested and received a multitude of blessings in return. After the fire, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego witnessed a decree issued by Nebuchadnezzar.

 “Nebuchadnezzar spoke, saying, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him, and they have frustrated the king’s word, and yielded their bodies, that they should not serve nor worship any god except their own God! Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation, or language which speaks anything amiss against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made an ash heap; because there is no other God who can deliver like this.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego in the province of Babylon.”

   Look back at verse John 9:3 “Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.” If you asked the blind man a week before he met Jesus if he felt being blind was a blessing he might have said, “I can hardly feed myself or get my clothes out each day, and I can’t work. No, this is not a blessing!!!" If you asked him a week after meeting Jesus he might say, "Being blind was a blessing for I was allowed to see the power of God through His Son." In the book of James, we find that we are to count it a joy when trials come… I believe part of this joy is simply realizing that God can be revealed to others through our lives. I pray that we as Christian would have the spiritual discipline to accept being blind, hungry, hurt, or in pain for a season so that God can reveal himself not only to us and for our benefit, but also to the Nebuchadnezzars in our lives. Be encouraged with this thought… The trial I am facing may be so God can do a miracle in or through my life. OH, TO BE USED BY GOD FOR HIS GLORY WHAT A TESTIMONY THAT WOULD BE!!!