Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Jesus Heals both the Blind Man and the Disciples.
Bible portion John 9: 1- 12Devotional Text
Can we imagine the times the little blind boy asked his mother, “Why am I blind?” Perhaps she never had a good answer to this question. The disciples also had the same question “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” They are also talking about the ‘why’ question.. Jesus heals with multiple intentions. Here Jesus wants to heal both the person who is born blind and the spiritual blindness of His disciples.
Jesus healed out of compassion.
Jesus’ healing had multiple dimensions and intentions. Jesus always moved with pity for
those who are suffering from various kinds of illness and who live without any hope in life. This has been evident in his earthly ministry. This points to the important dimension of life responds to the needs of others with compassion. Jesus’ healing was always out of his compassion to others who is vulnerable, hopeless, and poor. Through this act of compassionate healing, Jesus invites us to be compassionate to all around us who live without hope and in despair. Jesus paves a new way to have a compassionate attitude towards the other without boundaries.
Jesus healed out of concern for spiritual healing.
The second aspect of Jesus’ healing is the concern for spiritual healing. Jesus wanted to heal the spiritual blindness of His disciples who always connected sin and sickness. Jesus wanted his disciples to have different perspectives on this subject. Jews had several beliefs about the reasons for sickness and challenges in life. Some of the Jews of that time believed in the preexistence of souls, and the possibility that those pre-existent souls could sin. Some believed in some kind of reincarnation, and perhaps the man sinned in a previous existence. Some even believed that a baby might sin in the womb. Jesus wanted to heal all those wrong interpretations of the reasons behind the sickness. Jesus pointed the question away from why and on to the idea, what can God do in this? God can heal, give His grace to face the suffering and turn all the suffering in our lives for the glory of God. It is more than diagnosing the why questions. This gives spiritual healing to all of us.
Prayer
: Lord, heal all of us from our spiritual blindness and help us to be your witnesses amidst our sufferings.
Thought for the Day
Healing is both physical and spiritual.
Rev. V.M. Mathew, Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam.
Can we imagine the times the little blind boy asked his mother, “Why am I blind?” Perhaps she never had a good answer to this question. The disciples also had the same question “Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” They are also talking about the ‘why’ question.. Jesus heals with multiple intentions. Here Jesus wants to heal both the person who is born blind and the spiritual blindness of His disciples.
Jesus healed out of compassion.
Jesus’ healing had multiple dimensions and intentions. Jesus always moved with pity for
those who are suffering from various kinds of illness and who live without any hope in life. This has been evident in his earthly ministry. This points to the important dimension of life responds to the needs of others with compassion. Jesus’ healing was always out of his compassion to others who is vulnerable, hopeless, and poor. Through this act of compassionate healing, Jesus invites us to be compassionate to all around us who live without hope and in despair. Jesus paves a new way to have a compassionate attitude towards the other without boundaries.
Jesus healed out of concern for spiritual healing.
The second aspect of Jesus’ healing is the concern for spiritual healing. Jesus wanted to heal the spiritual blindness of His disciples who always connected sin and sickness. Jesus wanted his disciples to have different perspectives on this subject. Jews had several beliefs about the reasons for sickness and challenges in life. Some of the Jews of that time believed in the preexistence of souls, and the possibility that those pre-existent souls could sin. Some believed in some kind of reincarnation, and perhaps the man sinned in a previous existence. Some even believed that a baby might sin in the womb. Jesus wanted to heal all those wrong interpretations of the reasons behind the sickness. Jesus pointed the question away from why and on to the idea, what can God do in this? God can heal, give His grace to face the suffering and turn all the suffering in our lives for the glory of God. It is more than diagnosing the why questions. This gives spiritual healing to all of us.
Prayer
: Lord, heal all of us from our spiritual blindness and help us to be your witnesses amidst our sufferings.
Thought for the Day
Healing is both physical and spiritual.
Rev. V.M. Mathew, Mar Thoma Theological Seminary, Kottayam.