Thursday, March 11: John 9-doing the works of the Father

There are certain chapters I know before I read them. I find it important to read those chapters slowly so I hear them freshly. Today was one of those days.

I love the way God enters my devotional times. No sooner had I written the sentences above and began reading that my eyes saw something in the text I don’t recall seeing before. Jesus and his disciples are discussing the plight of a blind man, a man born blind. The Disciples assume the blindness is a result of sin, either the man’s or his parents’. To which Jesus replies, "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 (3-4). The word ‘we,’ which I bolded and underlined above and the change of person it denotes, stopped me in my tracks. Jesus is talking and He changes from the anticipated ‘I’, ‘as long as it is day, I must do the works of Him who sent me’, to we… ‘as long as it is day we must do the works of Him who sent me’. In other words, we must do the works of God the Father! I expected Jesus to say He must do the things of the Father, but the fact that He includes his disciples (of which I am one) took me by surprise.

Thoughts spun. Jesus, Father, You trust me to do Your works, works like healing. Honestly, this is a bit intimidating. Talk about living on the edge, putting my faith into action…whoa!

I wondered what the disciples thought when they heard Him say it. Did they catch it? I guess so because John wrote it. And now it is no surprise that there is so much detail with this story. Their senses were perked. Jesus was saying that they, too, had to do the things of the Father.

There would come a time when Jesus sent them out to do… there comes a day for every apprentice (every disciple) to go and do what they have been taught.

It is not like this is the first time I heard this. It just caught me unexpectedly and exposed some of my fears, some of my lack of faith…

O, Jesus, I have so much still to learn. So many places still to grow!

I observed a number of other things in the text but I cannot mention everything I see and every word God speaks to me. I did, however, note that John brought us again to his primary gospel message in verse 38: Then the man said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him.

Lord Jesus, I too believe. Help me today to be attentive to the works the Father would have me do.  Whether it is witnessing my faith in You to someone, or praying for a healing You want to accomplish in someone’s life, or preparing for my teaching on Sunday, or extending a kindness to someone in need, or giving unhurried time to someone who needs a friend. May I do faithfully all the works You have for me to do today. That You, O God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit receive glory and honor and praise. Amen.