The Well
The Well |
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Connecting Hope to the Hurting | |
Monday
October 13, 2008
Then they took the man to the Pharisees. Now as it happened, Jesus had healed
the man on a Sabbath. The Pharisees asked the man all about it. So he told them,
"He smoothed the mud over my eyes, and when it was washed away, I could
see!"
Some of the Pharisees said, "This man Jesus is not from God, for he is
working on the Sabbath." Others said, "But how could an ordinary sinner do such
miraculous signs?" So there was a deep division of opinion among them.
Then
the Pharisees once again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded,
"This man who opened your eyes—who do you say he is?"
The man replied, "I
think he must be a prophet."
The Jewish leaders wouldn't believe he had been
blind, so they called in his parents. They asked them, "Is this your son? Was he
born blind? If so, how can he see?"
His parents replied, "We know this is our son and that he was born blind, but
we don't know how he can see or who healed him. He is old enough to speak for
himself. Ask him." They said this because they were afraid of the Jewish
leaders, who had announced that anyone saying Jesus was the Messiah would be
expelled from the synagogue. That's why they said, "He is old enough to speak
for himself. Ask him."
John 9:13-23
Going against the grain, that's my Lord! Apparently, Jesus wasn't a religious person – He was God! Religious people do what is expected of them, no more – no less. However, Jesus knew our Father, therefore, He did what Dad would do – He put the people's needs before religious order. WOW!
Again, I'm flabbergasted with the way Jesus went about healing this man. He could have placed His hand on his head and said, "Heal," but Jesus decided to place mud on His eyes. Does that mean that I need to start a denomination based on "mud healing"? I don't think so. What I am to do is listen to the voice of God through the Holy Spirit and do what He instructs me to do.
I don't know about you, but I'm sick of religion. I want God! I'm not into doing things just because that is what is expected of me. I want freshness, not form. I want a relationship, not a dictatorship. I want to be the hands of Jesus extended to people who are spiritually blind and if it means rubbing mud on their eyes – so be it! However, instead of us rubbing mud on their eyes, the religious folks want to sling the mud back at us. They did it to Jesus and it will be done to us if we go against the grain.
Where are you today? When was the last time that you actually let go and let God do something new in your life? When was the last time He used you to touch a spiritually blind person and help them see? Oh, people I hope that you can answer those questions with recent answers. If not, I trust that God has you in a place where He is about to bring you out and use you in a mighty and powerful way in the life of someone who needs their woes turned into wows. When He does – you will never be the same!
Father, I get so excited when I read about the things that Jesus did in Your name. I praise You for the fresh fire You send us through the living giving power of the Holy Spirit. Use us Lord. Fire us up and send us out to be Your hands extended and not religious people who throw mud. Teach us how to go against the grain in Your name!
