From: May 17, 2023
“The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” (John 9:11 NLT).
As He was passing by, Jesus saw a man who had been blind since birth. He spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread it over the blind man’s eyes. He told the man to wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam. When he washed the mud away, he could see. When people asked the man how he came to see, he told them what Jesus had done for him.
I wonder. Did Christ smile to Himself as He spit on the dirt, making a little mud to rub on the blind man’s eyes? Did He think back to the sixth day of creation when He fashioned a man from the “dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Gen. 2:7)?
Jesus could’ve healed the blind man using any means. He could’ve spoken a word and it would’ve been accomplished. But on this occasion He decided to get His hands dirty again. On this day, Jesus used dirt to reveal His divine nature as the Creator and to give a man born blind his sight.
PRAYER: Dear Father, if You can use dirt to make a blind man see, You can surely use us to accomplish Your purpose for us in this world. Mold and make us more like Jesus. Fill us afresh with Your Spirit that we might bring glory to Your name this day. In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: May 17, 2016
As Jesus and his disciples passed by they encountered a blind man. The disciples entered into a theological debate concerning the reason for his blindness. For them, the man represented a philosophical puzzle. But Jesus was not interested in such metaphysical conundrums while he felt the urgency of this man’s condition. While the disciples argued, Jesus acted. He knew that his remaining time on earth was short. The shadow of the cross loomed before him. Jesus, the Light of the World, opened the eyes of the man born blind. He led him out of darkness and into the light.
From: May 17, 2015
When there is no love in the home no amount of food or furnishing can compensate. Without love, a rich banquet is dry and tasteless. With love, the simplest fare is life-giving. Everything tastes better with love. Make sure to include it in every recipe. Love makes the menu.
From: May 17, 2014
Our heart condition determines how we perceive life. Yet, how do we have a “happy heart?” David knew something about this. When life circumstances turned from bad to worse around him, the Bible says that he “encouraged himself in the Lord” (1 Sam. 30:6 KJV). His circumstances didn’t immediately change, but his heart did. And when our heart changes, we see possibilities rather than limitations. Is your life full of trouble or like a continual feast? Perhaps it’s more a matter of your heart than your circumstances.