Listen

When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”

John 9:6–12

Think

Many churches commission youth and other groups before sending them to mission trips, camps, and conferences. In some traditions, this sending includes a laying on of hands,  a simple, but powerful ritual of the body of Christ. In that moment, those being sent may have little idea of the journey ahead. Who will we meet? What new adventures will we have? How will we see God at work?

Transformation and healing have been known to happen during such times, and there is a good chance that those who didn’t share the experience will notice a change in us when we return. We may not be able to articulate clearly why we have changed, but it is important to share our stories. Sharing our own experiences of being sent by Christ may indeed be an eye opener for others.

Neil Myer

Pray

God, help me to share my experiences with others in such a way that they too may see you. Amen.

Go

Go now with a willingness to see things as they are,
And imagine the world as it could be.

We all have a story to tell
And experiences that shape what we see.

But there is healing in the truth God brings
And enough light to see just ahead,
For God is already in the place where you are going.