Day Thirty Four - Lenten Devotionals 2010

God’s Word: “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” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.” (John 9:4-7)

Jesus wants Obedience: Why did Jesus send the blind man to the Pool of Siloam to wash his eyes? Jesus could have just said, “Be healed,” and the man’s sight would have come to him on the spot. But he wanted the man to do something, to exercise obedience, so he sent him to the Siloam Pool to wash his eyes. But there’s an interesting little detail to the story. Before sending him off, Jesus smeared mud on his eyelids.

The intriguing question is: Why? Have you ever seen anyone spit it into the dirt, twirl it around with his finger, then take the mud and smear it over someone’s eyes? How would you like it if someone did that to you?

It’s obvious. The mud made the man want to obey. It was a nudging, an additional motivation for the man to go to the pool of Siloam to wash his eyes. The mud provided the motivation for the obedience Christ required.

We don’t always understand why mud gets in our eyes, but sometimes if it weren’t there, we would never bring critical areas of our lives into obedience to Jesus Christ. And without obedience, the work of God can never be displayed in us. God, in his infinite grace and wisdom, sometimes uses mud to restore our sight. ^- Morgan

Inspirational Quote: If Joseph had not been Egypt’s prisoner, he would have never been Egypt’s governor. The iron chains about his feet ushered in the golden chains about his neck.—William Secker

Prayer for today: Dear Lord, help me to see your purpose while facing suffering and trials in my life so that I can face them with confidence. In your name, Amen.