The Works of God

As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth.  And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?"  Jesus answered, "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."  John 9:1-3

Since Wesley's birth, the verses from John 9 have grown very dear to my heart.  So it was with great anticipation that I awaited the message that our pastor preached yesterday on this passage.  As I listened to his message, I was freshly encouraged and filled with joy in my Savior. Thank you Josh Fenska for so helpfully expositing the word of God and bringing much glory to His name.

I am grateful for the reminder that Wesley's life and disability have a profound and noble purpose in God's plan.  Wesley's suffering is not meaningless or purposeless or punitive.  His life exists to point to the power of God.  And it is already evident that God's power is being marvelously displayed through Wesley's suffering and through our suffering as a family as God powerfully sustains us.

More than that, I rejoice that with the blind man I can say, "I don't know everything.  I don't know why God created Wesley with a disability.  But I do know that Jesus has changed and redeemed my life!"  I loved our pastor's reminder that while Jesus powerfully displayed the works of God by healing the blind man, the greatest gift the man received that day was not his eyesight.  He received a gift far greater than the gift of sight for the remainder of his years on earth.  When he believed in Jesus, he received the right to know God as his loving heavenly Father.  He received the precious gift of eternal life with Jesus, his Savior.

These precious gifts are mine too, and they will be Wesley's as well, if he believes in Jesus as his Savior.  Even if Wesley's suffering continues until the day that he dies, these gifts are ours for us to cherish and hold dear.  Nothing greater could ever be given to us.

So now I join with the healed man as "he said, "Lord, I believe," and he worshiped him."