Now We Can See

Now We Can See

Scripture:
John 9:13-25 (NASB)

They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them. So they said to the blind man again, “What do you say about Him, since He opened your eyes?” And he said, “He is a prophet.”

The Jews then did not believe it of him, that he had been blind and had received sight, until they called the parents of the very one who had received his sight, and questioned them, saying, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? Then how does he now see?” His parents answered them and said, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but how he now sees, we do not know; or who opened his eyes, we do not know. Ask him; he is of age, he will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue. For this reason his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

So a second time they called the man who had been blind, and said to him, “Give glory to God; we know that this man is a sinner.” ²⁵ He then answered, “Whether He is a sinner, I do not know; one thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”

Devotional:

How often are we presented with some truth only to deny it?  God’s miracles happen around us all the time but we can’t believe they really happened.  We cannot explain it or it doesn’t make sense to us.  Sometimes acknowledging the truth means we have to acknowledge Christ.  There are those who simply will not do so.  It is far easier to deny than to accept and have to change.  It was simple the man was born blind.  No one disputes that fact. 

The Pharisees did not want to accept the truth.  To do so meant admitting they were wrong and that they had to change.  In their eyes they lost face and power.  In truth they would have gained so much more.  We are all like the blind man.  None of us can see.  When Christ came into our lives our eyes were opened.  We need to quit roaming around as if we were blind.  We need to open our eyes.  We see God’s miracles around us, some seem to be impossible.  That doesn’t mean they did not happen.  The truth is there and does not change because we don’t like it.  The Pharisees didn’t want to accept.  The man’s parents were afraid to share the truth.  The blind man could see.

Which are you?  Do you refuse to accept, or know someone who does?  Are you afraid to share?  Are you afraid of what might happen, or what others might think or say?  We need to be like the blind man, once blind but now we can see.  

God Has Big Shoulders

Scripture:
Psalm 4 (NASB)

Answer me when I call, O God of my righteousness!
You have relieved me in my distress;
Be gracious to me and hear my prayer.

O sons of men, how long will my honor become a reproach?
How long will you love what is worthless and aim at deception? Selah.
But know that the Lord has set apart the godly man for Himself;
The Lord hears when I call to Him.

Tremble, and do not sin;
Meditate in your heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.
Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
And trust in the Lord.

Many are saying, “Who will show us any good?”
Lift up the light of Your countenance upon us, O Lord!
You have put gladness in my heart,
More than when their grain and new wine abound.
In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.

Devotional:

The news always seems to be negative.  Where ever you turn we are seen bad things.  In our small group a comment was made about reporting good news.  A short lived station aired only good news.  It seems that the bad is overwhelming.  It is often asked or commented on how much worse things are today than what they use to be.  I don’t think it is much worse than fifty or a hundred years ago.  After all at the turn of the century there was World War One.  Then World War Two came along.  The atrocities committed then were truly horrible.  Afterwards came the Korean War, oh sorry police action, then Vietnam.  In the late seventies was the hostage situation.  The list can continue to grow.  Things were just as bad though from the Revolutionary War to the turn of the twentieth century.

It is far too easy to focus on the bad and see the doom and gloom.  Even King David had the horrible and awful in his day.  Something awesome that we have is God.  He is good and He is with us.  Verse 8 “In peace I will both lie down and sleep,
For You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety.”  There is has always been good in this world.  It is still there all we have to do is put our focus on the right things.  There are thousands of people finding Christ on just about a daily basis.  Babies are born every day.  Good things happen to us all.  Where is your focus?  The world isn’t bad; it is just full of sinful people.  God is a righteous, loving, and best of all merciful. 

Meditate on God.  Focus on your relationship with Christ.  Let God’s peace fill you.  Let the worries of the world fall upon His shoulders…

Who Is Your Boss?

Scripture:

Colossians 3:22-24 (NASB)

Slaves, in all things obey those who are your masters on earth, not with external service, as those who merely please men, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.

Devotional:

Who do you serve?  Who is it that you work for?  At a previous job I had I went in knowing it would be difficult at best.  Nancy and I also knew the job was a stepping-stone.  God was opening doors for us.  As we prayed over what to do we had peace about accepting the job.  At first it was easy to go in and do my best because I was doing my work for God not my boss.  God was, and is, my boss.  I was eager to help citizens with troubles and questions.  I wanted to be there for my staff.  I wanted to do my best not for me, not for my boss, but for God.  He was, and is, the one I wanted to please the most.  Somewhere along the way I lost that focus.

Recently I have become convinced that over half the battle is where your focus is.  As my focus changed it became more difficult to have that positive attitude.  If I keep my focus on Christ I find it easier to deal with problems and issues that crop up around me.  When my focus is on Christ I handle situations better and my work is no longer mine, or my bosses.  My work becomes work for Christ.  Then no matter what people think or expect I want to do my best.  Regardless of the earthly outcome God is my boss and He is the one I want to please.  I strive to do my utmost best for Him in all things.

Where is your focus?  Try changing what you focus on and see if it helps.  Remind yourself that what you are doing is not for someone here and now.  What you are doing is for God and the glory of His kingdom.  Then maybe you can find your best and offer it to God…