The Holy One calls to me this morning. Heaven seems to have registered my grievance from last night. I was inwardly complaining about the duration of life trials and the heaviness of the load the trials represent.
The Holy One knows my every thought, even though they are not directed at His heavenly throne. I was just complaining to myself and did not expect Him to respond. My intimate Counselor and friend recognizes the danger if those thoughts go unchallenged. Grumpiness can lead to the far more toxic things like self-pity, victimization, doubts and ultimately the poison of unbelief.
He relates to me the account of a man born blind found in John 9. During this encounter between the man and Jesus, along with His disciples, scripture tells us:
"As they 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 work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work 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"
Having said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man's eyes. "Go", He told him. "wash in the pool of Siloam". So the man went and washed and came home seeing."
There is so much to be gleaned from this account of the man born blind who received the gift of sight and I wonder what point the Holy Spirit has for me to see myself this morning?
Could it be the message that each trial represents an opportunity, "so that the work of God might be displayed" in our lives?
Could it be the message and reminder that we are to represent the "Light of the world" as we are challenged by the darkness (blindness) in it?
Or could it be the message that we are not to judge others and the reason for their life trials as if they are suffering the direct or indirect consequences of "having sinned"?
Thoughts go deep and traverse many of the principles of Holiness.
But then, pushing past the grumpy mood, my Holy Counselor explains, "This man got up every morning blind with no hope of seeing the light. His trial was "set" to be life long. The day he met up with Jesus began the same way as every other day in his life, but ended in a glorious unexpected way. Imagine the burden he and his family carried then weigh your own".
I really get His point this morning and see the relativity of those whose burdens are far greater than mine. But my Lord is too compassionate to let that be the only message to my heart. He goes on to remind me that there is hope for every trial to end with a glorious, miraculous touch of the Hand of the Healer, Jesus my Christ:
"Have you forgotten that He still provides miracles and works resolutions in His perfect time and His perfect way?"
Sometimes the realities of this earth life poison the hope of our heavenly one. Miracles are the intervention by the supernatural hand of God into the natural world we inhabit. Miracles are and should be a daily experience for those who have a personal relationship with the Miracle Worker, but are so often overlooked if we focus on the problem itself and not the steps in the process to the resolution.
The process involves trust in how the Lord is working it out and then obedience if it comes with a directive to enact. Spit and dirt? Trust Me! Go wash in the pool of Siloam? Obey Me!
The discouragement of yesterday melts with the warm rays of the Son light streaming into my mind. I confess my impatience and refusal to accept the Lord's timetable for resolutions. He helps me shift the load on my back and I suddenly realize He just took it all. His truth becomes my reality:
"My yoke is easy and My burden is light"
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
The Holy One knows my every thought, even though they are not directed at His heavenly throne. I was just complaining to myself and did not expect Him to respond. My intimate Counselor and friend recognizes the danger if those thoughts go unchallenged. Grumpiness can lead to the far more toxic things like self-pity, victimization, doubts and ultimately the poison of unbelief.
He relates to me the account of a man born blind found in John 9. During this encounter between the man and Jesus, along with His disciples, scripture tells us:
"As they 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 work of God might be displayed in his life. As long as it is day, we must do the work 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"
Having said this, He spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva and put it on the man's eyes. "Go", He told him. "wash in the pool of Siloam". So the man went and washed and came home seeing."
There is so much to be gleaned from this account of the man born blind who received the gift of sight and I wonder what point the Holy Spirit has for me to see myself this morning?
Could it be the message that each trial represents an opportunity, "so that the work of God might be displayed" in our lives?
Could it be the message and reminder that we are to represent the "Light of the world" as we are challenged by the darkness (blindness) in it?
Or could it be the message that we are not to judge others and the reason for their life trials as if they are suffering the direct or indirect consequences of "having sinned"?
Thoughts go deep and traverse many of the principles of Holiness.
But then, pushing past the grumpy mood, my Holy Counselor explains, "This man got up every morning blind with no hope of seeing the light. His trial was "set" to be life long. The day he met up with Jesus began the same way as every other day in his life, but ended in a glorious unexpected way. Imagine the burden he and his family carried then weigh your own".
I really get His point this morning and see the relativity of those whose burdens are far greater than mine. But my Lord is too compassionate to let that be the only message to my heart. He goes on to remind me that there is hope for every trial to end with a glorious, miraculous touch of the Hand of the Healer, Jesus my Christ:
"Have you forgotten that He still provides miracles and works resolutions in His perfect time and His perfect way?"
Sometimes the realities of this earth life poison the hope of our heavenly one. Miracles are the intervention by the supernatural hand of God into the natural world we inhabit. Miracles are and should be a daily experience for those who have a personal relationship with the Miracle Worker, but are so often overlooked if we focus on the problem itself and not the steps in the process to the resolution.
The process involves trust in how the Lord is working it out and then obedience if it comes with a directive to enact. Spit and dirt? Trust Me! Go wash in the pool of Siloam? Obey Me!
The discouragement of yesterday melts with the warm rays of the Son light streaming into my mind. I confess my impatience and refusal to accept the Lord's timetable for resolutions. He helps me shift the load on my back and I suddenly realize He just took it all. His truth becomes my reality:
"My yoke is easy and My burden is light"
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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