Let's pretend you were born with a large cut on your neck. The doctors have no explanation as to why it is there and aside from it your life has been normal. It doesn't really hurt and you've learned to live with it. You wear high collared shirts so that it is not very noticeable. You take particular care when bathing as to not irritate it. Altogether it has become a part of who you are and it doesn't bother you. Well... except for the instances that someone stares at you as though you are a freak of nature or ask you questions dripping in ignorance as if they'd never witnessed a deformity. Aside from that, you're quite healthy and happy because you've learned to accept the cut and the reality that there is nothing to do to heal it. But alas! A doctor has just opened a practice nearby and word has it he has cured a similar cut in another country. He put a clear ointment on the cut, told the patient she would be fine, and before she walked out of the office her life long cut was gone!!! Oh... you've got to see this doctor. Right, sis?!
So you make an appointment and he has an opening. You tell the receptionist exactly what your appointment is regarding and she says the doctor can see you the next day. She calls you back later that evening and tells you the doctor will be seeing patients at another location that day and gives you the address. No big deal though because surely the doctor will be able to heal your wound. You get to the doctor's office and he assess your cut. He says, "Hmmm... no problem at all." He reaches into his pocket, pulls out a vial of sand, pours the sand in his hand, spits in his hand, rubs it together to form a mud ball and proceeds to put the mud on your neck!! WHOA DOC!!! But... in your desperation you allow him to go forth. As he is rubbing this muddy concoction on your neck, getting it all over the collar of your new shirt, you recall that this regime is nothing like the prescription that healed the other lady. Interesting. Oh, well. The doctor finishes applying the mud and tells you that the water in the office is off for maintenance, you'll have to use the rest room next door to wash the mud blob off BUT afterwards your cut would be gone forever.
What do you do... do you allow the doctor to put this stinky, spit and mud concoction on your neck? You know he has healed someone else but it didn't take all of this. This is unconventional, disgusting, not tested or explainable. Even if you decide to let him, are you willing to expose yourself to even more attention by walking next door to wash this mess off? Or do you say this is just too much, forget it! This is crazy. Honestly sis.. what do you do?
Although this situation is unlikely to occur today with all of the advancements in medicine, Jesus actually used mud....made with His saliva... to heal a man that had been blind from birth. The story of the blind man can be found in John 9:1-34. Here is an excerpt from that passage (NIV):
1-7: As He went along, He saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
10-11 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”This miracle was one of seven highlighted in the book of John and exhibits a reoccurring theme throughout the bible; Jesus giving sight and providing light to the blind (spiritually and physically). John is the only gospel that tells of this particular act. In many other instances, Jesus simply touched the person receiving grace or spoke a blessing. This story goes on to explain how the man's parents were brought before Jewish leaders and asked if in fact, he had been born blind and was healed. (There was debate among those in the area as to whether the act had really occurred and the Jewish leaders were looking for a charge against Jesus.)
The man's parents confirmed he was born blind and he was their son however they were afraid to testify regarding his healing. The man himself was not. He told the Jewish leaders exactly how he had been healed. He even wittingly questioned the Pharisees regarding their probe of disbelief. Through this miracle, the man grew to believe and worship God (v. 38). If we read the entire passage, we will notice that the man went from calling Jesus "the man they call Jesus" (v. 11), to the prophet (v. 17), to sir (v. 36), to Lord. You see.. he grew in his faith by obeying, receiving, witnessing, testifying, and then seeking understanding to gain a personal encounter or relationship with Jesus. We can learn a lot from this man, his dirt and his disability.
1.) The mess (mud) that you are going through may not be a result of anything that you did wrong. The Pharisees assumed it was either the blind man's fault or the sins of his parents that brought about his blindness. Jesus tells them that he is not blind due to sin, but so that God may get glory through his healing.
2.) The man's blindness brought about an opportunity for God to do a mighty work in his life. Your mess may be an opportunity for God to show you and those around you just what He is capable of doing.
3.) What God has commanded to heal you may be different than what works for others or how he has healed others. Matthew 9:27-31 shows that God heals two blind men by simply touching their eyes. Quite a bit different from the mud you are going through to bring about your healing. Your situation may appear as similar to others on the surface, but in your heart there may be a difference that only God knows.
4.) The dirt/mess was a significant ingredient in the man's healing. The mud was important. Your mud is too, sis! Your mess or the thing that you are going through may bring you vision. It may show you a side of the world that you were not aware of. It may open your eyes to the things that are going on around you or lead you to your calling. The mess often exposes us to a side of life that we would take for granted if everything was always peachy.
5.) How much are you willing to participate in your own healing? Jesus told the man to go wash His face in the pool of Siloam in order to be healed. He had to be obedient. Not only that, he had to participate in his healing by finding his way. It would have been simple for God to send him to wash his eyes after he regained his sight. But sometimes when we receive blessing prematurely we become busy celebrating and forget to follow through on our end of the bargain. Are you willing to participate in your own betterment or do you expect God to just say the word?
6.) The man was completely blind and had not been able to see since birth. The situation you are in could be going on like for what seems forever and there is absolutely no way out. You may have grown to accept that its just the way it is and you've adapted and learned to live in this mud/mess. Remember, those are the situations that God specializes in; those things that seem hopeless. He is capable of doing exceedingly and abundantly. (Ephesians 3:20)7.) Will you testify after you are healed? When something radical happens to you or you step out on faith to participate in your healing by being obedient will you be ashamed to tell people just how far you had to go? Will you sugar coat it or would you stand in a room full of non-believers and confidently say "God did it with mud!"? Will you be ashamed of your mess and hide it from the world? The blind man was not afraid to testify to the Jewish leaders. He cared nothing about their theological views, he only knew what he could testify to and that was that he had been healed. You don't have to be a biblical scholar to tell others what God has done for you.
8.) Though the world may deem you as dirty, they aren't aware of the healing that is taking place. They may avoid you to keep from getting your mud on them not knowing God is in your mess. I'm sure those that saw the man with mud on his eyes didn't initially think "Whoa, an awesome thing is happening in his life." I'm sure they thought, "Ugh... you are a mess!" That is probably how people are looking at you. Not knowing that God has allowed mud into your life only to open your eyes, show you light, give you vision, make you clean, and heal you. They don't know that God has touched you and is guiding you as you follow His directions.
9.) The man was a beggar but scripture does not tell us that he had begged for healing. Much like us, he didn't even know what he needed. He didn't even know what to ask for because either he thought that requesting sight was too great of a task or maybe he'd become comfortable in his disability. Disability sometimes gives us a crutch. It gives an excuse. We claim to want to be healed, to want a new job, to want a better situation... but that would only require us to step out of our comfort zone so we don't pursue it wholeheartedly. Just in theory.
10.) Although Jesus did not just say the word to incite the man's healing, the healing still came from His mouth in the form of saliva. Often times, we do not receive healing or God's promises because it doesn't come in the form we expect. We may expect revelation through scripture, when the Holy Spirit actually speaks to us through prayer. We may expect for the preacher to lay hands on us or anoint us with oil, when all we have to do is believe or wash ourselves clean. When the word doesn't come in the manner we sought it, we sometimes ignore it.
People may know all that you have been through. People may know of some of the things that you have done. They know of the lifestyle that you once lived, some of the mistakes you've made. But what they don't know is how God will use your dirt as a testimony to save others. God said in His word that He will use what was meant for bad for your good. (Genesis 50:20) And though they may remember all of your faults and flaws, God says that he will remember them no more. In fact, God knew that you would hold on to your past and punish yourself so he sought to remind you that He would not. He knew you would need reminding of this constantly so He references Him forgetting your transgressions over 25 times in the bible. (Isaiah 43:25, Hebrews 10:17, Hebrews 8:12, Romans 5:20...etc.)
God specializes in using mud to construct greatness. In the KJV, this mud concoction is considered clay. Throughout scripture, God uses clay and the molding of dirt as symbolism. Clay or dirt is weak, it is malleable. But with God it becomes strong and usable. It is not a coincidence that Adam was created from dirt. God is the potter (Jeremiah 18:4-6). He shapes and molds the most magnificent things in nature with earthly elements and his divine power. That is what He is doing with the dirt that is in your life, sis!
What part of you needs to be covered in mud? What dirt is in your life that you need to surrender to God? What is it in your life that needs a touch from God? What if that touch doesn't come in the manner that you expect? What if your financial breakthrough isn't an inheritance or a check in the mail? What if instead you are given a job that you don't like so you have to earn the funds you were praying for? Or what if the husband that you sought God for is a little rough around the edges and things aren't picture perfect? What if the car you prayed for isn't a 2013 but is a 1997 that you have to fix up? Seek to discover the Magnificence in your mud.
The chorus to one of my favorite songs by Mary Mary reminds us that we "need a lil dirt to grow." That mud might be anointed sis... don't be ashamed to get dirty.
Love you so much Masterpieces,
-Kimyatta
Daily Prayer: Thank you God for my situations. Help me to see you and bring you glory in all things. Give me the strength to remain godly and forgive me for my sins. I trust that You are able to do all things according to Your riches in glory.
Scripture to Study: Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.” John 9:39
The voice spoke to him a second time, "Do not call anything impure that God has made clean." Acts 10:15
No comments:
Post a Comment