God's Leadership

God's Leadership

Genesis 25-27 | Psalm 9 | John 9

When Jesus and His disciples came across the man born blind, the disciples asked whether it was the man or his parents that committed the sin which led to his affliction. Jesus replied that neither the man nor His parents sinned leading to the disability, but it happened so that 'the work of God might be displayed in the man's life'.

It was a common assumption then (e.g., v.34), and is a common assumption now, that affliction or suffering in this world is God's punishment for some wrong committed previously. In many cultures, the inability to bear children is assumed to indicate the wickedness of the woman concerned. Similarly, in today's Western culture, it is common to apply the theory to oneself - i.e., 'I am suffering, therefore God is punishing me for something' - this can be especially true in the unwary Christian.

But as Jesus points out, this is not the case. The man was born blind so that 'the work of God might be revealed in his life.' The events of this man's life were used by God to display His work. The man was not only healed physically, he was introduced to His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ (vv.35ff.).

We learn a great lesson in the following encounter between the Pharisees and the man born blind. The Pharisees had 'already decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the Synagogue" (v. 22). They had closed their minds. They were so decidedly stuck on their own idea that they even ignored the great evidence presented before them in the healing of the man. In the words of the blind man himself, "Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing" (vv.32-33).

What is worse for the Pharisees is that they claimed to be able to see. As the 'spiritual leaders' of the Jews at the time, they had to claim as such in order to hold onto their authority, but it merely presented more evidence that they were blind - they had in fact, blinded themselves.

In the 21st Century there are still many who 'blind themselves'. It may be that they've had a lot of pain in their lives which they blame on God. It may be that they enjoy being 'master' of their own lives, and don't want to submit to God. It may be that they can't believe that happiness could come in holy living rather than wholly spending. For whatever reason, there are many out there who do not want to hear about God. They have blinded themselves.

But lets bring it back to Jesus. What happened in the reading from John's gospel that has been slightly overlooked by me so far? He healed a man that was born physically blind. A man who had never seen the sky, moon, sun, trees, walls, flowers, people or his parents, was then able to see. Jesus healed him. Can you imagine this man fresh from washing in the pool of Siloam, able to see for the first time in his life, probably running around, leaping and screaming in delight? This day would be for him the turning point in his life. His life would forever be split into two - the events that happened before his encounter with Jesus, and the events after.

Can you imagine him then being questioned by the Pharisees who wished to cast Jesus as a troublemaker? How would you react to such questioning? I see in the man's response an ecstatic trust in Jesus. He answers back to the Pharisees! He proves them wrong in their words and you can imagine him doing it with a whopping big smile on his face! "I've just been healed by a man of God. You can't touch me because God listens to Him and you ignore Him!"

Which do you think would be easier - to make someone understand a truth or to make them physically see when they hadn't before? Jesus can do both. We've seen that he healed the man born blind - and you'd think that'd be the harder one to do - yet He then called the man to faith in Him. He used the man's blindness to lead to his Spiritual renewal. He also used the man's blindness to make a point to His disciples and to show the spiritual blindness of the Pharisees.

From that day on the man born blind was able to see physically and spiritually. Jesus did that. Think of all the people you know who don't seem to want to know God. Can you make them see spiritually? Can you allow them to understand? You can't, I can't, but God can. And just as Jesus used the man's physical blindness to bring Him spiritual blessing, so God uses all events in our lives today for His purposes. He works in unimaginable or 'mysterious' ways to heal our blindness.

It is not just affliction and suffering that God uses to guide men toward Him, He 'works in all things for the good of those who love Him' (Rom. 8:28). From the pain of the death of a loved one to the joy of finding a wife or husband, from lack of work to total financial security, from a pen running out of ink to a world war, God uses these events and influences for the good of those who believe in, and follow Him. Many Christians look back on the events of their lives and see how God was working 'behind the scenes' to bring them to faith in Him. Similarly, Christians can often look back on how God has shaped them into more mature Christians through various influences in their lives. Such influences can seem positive or negative in themselves, but will always end-up in some way being a positive for the glory of God. In these events and by such acts God is not punishing or rewarding, but simply opening our eyes that we may see.

    "I once was lost,

       but now I'm found.

    Was blind,

       but now I see."

        Praise and thank God for His working in your life. Thank Him for leading you to faith in Him and pray that He will continue to guide you to spiritual maturity and growth in your relationship with Him. Pray also for those who you know who still do not know God and ask that He would allow them to see.