Your father gives you light to see Him, His truth, His Kingdom and eventually His Son. Follow that light for all these reasons and much more.
I am privileged to minister at a rest home. These people are ailing. There are some who cannot walk any more, some who cannot even perform the most basic personal activities, some that are troubled just feeding themselves. Yet, they come to listen to hymn time and they flock in for church services. While one could bemoan their horrible estate, one could pity them and look at them with sad eyes saying, you poor soul you must be miserable. I take a different approach. I, gently and lovingly encourage and challenge them with a big smile.
I tell them that Jesus still uses them. He still lives through them. He still shines His brilliant light of Heaven to others through their lives. I tell them that though they may have challenges in their body, though they may not be able to walk or even talk as much as they used to God still wants their services. They can still be productive for Christ’s Kingdom. They have value, they have worth, they are important, they do matter, they are loved and they can make a huge difference in someone’s life. It is all possible and within them using what they have for God’s glory.
See, these people can pray. Even those with severe Alzheimers or dementia have lucid moments in which they can pray for others. Some are deeply cogent but unable to communicate because of strokes, they can pray. Some are unable to help clean a room, help guide others around help physically at all, but they can pray. Some feel they are unable to counsel family members they know are in trouble, but they can pray. Some are unable to encourage others around them with words of comfort and love from the Lord, but they can pray. Regardless, what you cannot do, you will be able to pray.
In John 9, Jesus takes a man who was disabled, in his day completely without means. One could easily run down a list of challenges he shares on par with many of the folks in rest homes. There is no mention of his spiritual life except that Jesus makes it clear it is not his or his parents sins that brought about the blindness. Jesus changed his life by giving his sight.
The most impactful statement in John chapter 9 though is not that the man is blind from birth or that he receives his sight. The most impactful statement is, “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” The purpose of the disability was to glorify God. Each individual has the same blessing.
God has healed others before. Is your ailment physical or something else such as finances? Could it be speech? Are you challenged with shyness? Christian, I pray you are ready to take your worship and service to the next level if He decides to heal you.
Further to that, if you now know Christ as your Savior you too have been given sight. You too are now walking in light. You too are enlightened above the world and those who live in and love the world. The question is, what are you doing with this new sight? Are you using your new sight for God’s glory? Are you cultivating this sight’s abilities and pressing to use it to it’s fullest abilities, honoring the one whom provided this wonderful gift of salvation.
God’s gift is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom 6:23). This gift is life and the light of men (John 1:4). As the blind man’s life was changed dramatically and dynamically, you too receive this amazing gift. Now, what will you do Christian?
