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As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world"  - John 9:5

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A Man Born Blind Receives Sight – John 9:1-12

 ¹ As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, 'Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?' ³ Jesus answered, 'Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. ⁴ We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.' ⁶ When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man's eyes, ⁷ saying to him, 'Go, wash in the pool of Siloam' (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see. ⁸ The neighbours and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, 'Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?' ⁹ Some were saying, 'It is he.' Others were saying, 'No, but it is someone like him.' He kept saying, 'I am the man.' ¹⁰ But they kept asking him, 'Then how were your eyes opened?' ¹¹ He answered, 'The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, "Go to Siloam and wash." Then I went and washed and received my sight.' ¹² They said to him, 'Where is he?' He said, 'I do not know.'

Reflecting on the Gospel, where our LORD answers the disciples' question as to the cause of the man's blindness:  "Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God's works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world".

In my own journey to recovery from clinical depression and suicidal thoughts, I've encountered well-meaning Christian friends. These friends urged me to pray more or read more scriptures. They were without understanding that there are spiritual, biological & social factors that affected my mental health. It caused more harm/hurt to assume that my mental health challenges were due to a spiritual defect without considering the other factors in my life.

As a closing prayer and worship, I offer this beautiful worship hymn Blessings. This song reminds me that sometimes blessings come in the forms of trials and suffering. Amen.

Blessings

Verse 1 We pray for blessings We pray for peace Comfort for family, protection while we sleep We pray for healing, for prosperity We pray for Your mighty hand to ease our suffering And all the while, You hear each spoken need Yet love is way too much to give us lesser things. Chorus 'Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops? What if Your healing comes through tears? What if a thousand sleepless nights Are what it takes to know You're near? And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise? Verse 2 We pray for wisdom Your voice to hear And we cry in anger when we cannot feel You near We doubt Your goodness, we doubt Your love As if every promise from Your Word is not enough And all the while, You hear each desperate plea And long that we'd have faith to believe.   Repeat Chorus Verse 3 When friends betray us And when darkness seems to win We know that pain reminds this heart That this is not, this is not our home It's not our home   Repeat Chorus   Ending What if my greatest disappointments Or the aching of this life Is the revealing of a greater thirst this world can't satisfy And what if trials of this life The rain, the storms, the hardest nights Are Your mercies in disguise?

 

Youtube: https://youtu.be/XQan9L3yXjc?si=00w180M4kEf0iHNR Singer: Laura Story Copyright: Blessings lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc Reflection on John 9:1-12 by Chris Tan