Today’s scripture: John 9:1-12 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Robin Herman):
“Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.”
You still see so much of this today: people assume that the wrath of God has been put on a person (or group of people) because they are a sinner. It seems to me that it’s just another way to judge and condemn. Internally, it’s another way to manage our fears, since the other side of that equation is: if I don’t sin, I won’t become blind.
Bad things don’t happen to bad people. Bad things happen.
Several of my friends are not Christian, at least not that they profess. Many of my friends are gay and have been turned off by the church’s people. I will hear them say (partly to defend their position), How can this terrible thing happen if there’s a God? How could God let that happen?
God gave us free will, and with that must come consequences. Consequences not only for our choices, but as a matter of life itself. If faith in God alone gave us a long life and prosperity, then our reward would be just that — a long life here on earth and prosperity. I recall several of Pastor Jeff’s sermons where he has done such a great job illustrating how little we know about life compared to God, and how vast our lives can be if we include our life after this one. With that wide of a lens on our own lives, our consequences seem incidental.
With all of that said, I think we’ll always be left to wonder why bad things happen to people. I truly believe that they are not a punishment, but an opportunity for someone to learn. An opportunity for someone, somewhere, to see the light of God through the tragedy that lies before them. And that, is faith.
Thought for the day: Do I see misfortunes as punishment to endure, or are they an opportunity for learning and stretching my faith?
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the guidelines on the How to Pray page.