It might be vaguely comforting if we lived in a strict cause-and-effect universe.
It would be so predictable and stable. Do “this” and “that” will always be the result. We could plan on the results of everything we did. No disappointments. No surprises. No questions. This isn’t the case, of course. Some causes have little relation to the effect they produce. While sowing and reaping is a principle of life, we all must sometimes deal with unintended consequences of a cause that failed to produce the expected result. The Twelve men whom Jesus called seemed to believe in cause-and-effect as an absolute rule. This would prompt an important question.
One Born Blind
As Jesus walked untouched through the armed and hostile crowd, He was not unwatched. Even in their strange, paralyzed state, the well-dressed Pharisees, brightly bedecked priests, and plain-clothes Levites watched His every move. To a man, they all hoped He would just keep walking out of the Temple, out of the city, and out of their lives. It was not to be.
A young man, blind from birth, begged by the side of the road leading from the Temple. The Disciples wanted to know the cause of such a wasted life. “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
Jesus needed to lift their thinking above this earthbound reasoning. God has causes we cannot discern so there will always be effects we cannot understand. Things were not so simple. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him.”
Jesus was on a mission to demonstrate both the power of God the willingness of God to involve Himself in the lives of those who loved 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.”
Jesus stooped to the ground and scooped up a handful of loose soil. He spat in His hand and molded a poultice of mud. As the poor man sat at his place by the road, he sensed the coolness of the shadow of Jesus standing directly in front of him. Before he could beg for alms, Jesus anointed the man’s eyes with the mud. Startled, the man drew back from His touch. Jesus’ voice calmed Him. “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam”
The man was not so blind that he could not see an opportunity. He reached excitedly for a helping hand and someone guided him to the pool. The crowd waited to see what would happen. Before long, the man returned, unaided, and seeing perfectly well.
A Community Amazed
Friends were delighted and confused. They subjected the young man to extended stares to be sure they were seeing correctly. Without a doubt, it was the same young man whom they knew had never seen before. When people asked him how this happened, he gave all the details he knew. They wanted to know who and where this healer was.
All the young man could say was the truth, “I don’t know.” The desperate crowd had witnessed a new effect. They needed to see the cause.
Scriptures:
John 9:1-12
Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 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.” Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?” He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.” Then they said to him, “Where is He?”He said, “I do not know.”
Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.
Job 9:10 NKJV
He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, Your touch is a healing touch. Blind eyes have opened, deaf ears have started hearing, withered limbs have straightened and strengthened, tattered minds have been repaired, and horrible diseases have fled at Your touch. A word from You can send demons running or still the raging storm. I have felt Your touch so many times, a comfort in times of sorrow and loss, an encouragement when the way is hard, and a deep settled peace in every circumstance. Thank You, for the touch of Your mighty hand. Amen.
Song:
One Touch
Words and Music: Bonnie Plunkett
Verse:
There’s healing in the name of Jesus
Healing in the touch of Jesus
One touch of His hand will lift you
Body mind and soul
Believe Him that His pow’r will Free you
Praise Him for His mercies t’ward you
Thank Him for His love
He longs to make you fully whole
Refrain:
Just one touch of the Master’s hand
Just one word He has full command
Have faith in what He wants to do
Is all He asks of you
There’s healing in the name of Jesus
Healing in the touch of Jesus
One touch of His Master’s hand will
Make you fully whole
THE JESUS STORY SERIES
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