Listen

Then they led the man who had been born blind to the Pharisees. Now Jesus made the mud and smeared it on the man’s eyes on a Sabbath day. So Pharisees also asked him how he was able to see.

The man told them, “He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and now I see.”

Some Pharisees said, “This man isn’t from God, because he breaks the Sabbath law.” Others said, “How can a sinner do miraculous signs like these?” So they were divided. Some of the Pharisees questioned the man who had been born blind again: “What do you have to say about him, since he healed your eyes?”

He replied, “He’s a prophet.”

John 9:13-17

Think

Thanks to Jesus, a man once blind appeared before the Pharisees with 20/20 vision. Yet, instead of collapsing in amazement, all these Pharisees did was argue. Was Jesus a good guy? Was Jesus sinning by performing a miracle on the Sabbath, a holy day set aside for rest? Is he a Voldomort-like sorcerer in disguise?

These Pharisees could not figure out Jesus. They could not fit him neatly into in their law-shaped boxes. Now, it’s easy for us to judge the Pharisees for their close-mindedness. After all, we know who Jesus really is. Or do we?

Sure, we may know more than they did back then. However, let us not deceive ourselves into thinking we have Jesus figured out. How arrogant would that be? And plain wrong! In a million years, no person, pastor, or church could ever figure out the good and mysterious God we serve. God is too big for our boxes. Praise God for that!

Matt Andrews

Pray

Mysterious God, you are beyond comprehension. I am in awe of you. Humble me with your greatness and goodness. Amen.

Go

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that Thou art:
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

from “Be Thou my Vision,” traditional Irish hymn

Even now, God is giving you a new vision. What do you see?

What journey must you take to make God’s vision a reality?