Unseen (Pun!) Purpose - Ruminating in the Word of God

The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in John 9:1-5 ,

"As he [Jesus] went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned,' said Jesus, 'but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.'"

Jesus' disciples thought that an infirmity such as blindness must be caused by sin. Elsewise, I assume they thought, why would God allow such a thing to happen? As we find out from the account, the man's blindness had nothing to do with sin. Jesus explained the man was born blind "... so that the works of God might be displayed in him." Jesus was authenticating himself and his message, as well as stirring up the religious leaders against himself intentionally by healing the man. The man was born blind for this very event to take place.

I think of an expectant couple awaiting the birth of a new baby. That child would grow and become an important member of the family, contributing to the family in so many ways. Yet, as the baby was born, he had no eyesight - born blind. And, while he may have been loved and cared for in his infirmity, what a devastation to the parents! Here is a child that was going to be a dependant for the family. They could not possibly know the purpose of the blindness, if there was one. No way to foresee how this could possibly contribute to a display of the works of God. Not at the time of the birth, not while he was growing up. There simply was no way they were going to know all those years.

Yet, look at his story! It is documented in the eternal words of Scripture! His blindness provided an opportunity for God to display his works!

I think it something for consideration today. In the midst of what may seem to be nothing but loss or devastation or whatever, there just may be a purpose for it in the long run. We may not know till later, we may never know in this life. One thing for sure is that nothing happens on planet earth without God knowing about it. We do not live in a random, senseless world where things happen for no cause whatsoever. God is on his throne and he never sleeps!

A test of our faith is to recognize that when bad things come, God knows about it, and even if we can't see the why of it, it does not mean there may be no purpose of God in it. Just ask the man born blind...

Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!

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