John 9.38 Then the
man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him. – St. John
John 9, is a very important chapter in the Gospel of
John. In it, Jesus is asked by His disciples, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents,
that he was born blind?” (John 9.2) It’s a question that is asked
all the time when something unfortunate (or misfortunate) happens to someone. I
know, my first child was born with severe disabilities and extraordinary
inabilities. What happened: Who sinned,
me or him?
Well, it couldn’t have been him because what happened to him,
happened in the womb; so if he did
sin, he sinned in the womb. I don’t know what or how, but if he was guilty of
sin, it had to be before he was born, because none of us knew anything until after he was born. So, if we follow that logic, then it must have been me. If God is a God of payback, then it must’ve been because of
me. And every misfortune that has happened to me since then, has been God just paying
me back – right?
Thank God, Jesus said the question of ‘who sinned’ was faulty logic. “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,”
said Jesus, “but this happened so that
the works of God might be displayed in him”. (John 9.3) What happens in
life happens because we live in a fallen world, and babies are born with
birth-defects because that is part and parcel of the world in which we live. And
people sin – that too, is part and parcel of our world.
God, however, is a God of rescue – He desires
to rescue and redeem us from this world where it’s easy to ask, ‘who sinned?’ because none of us knows
the answer, and there has to be (we reason) some explanation. The explanation
is, God knows, and for now we just have
to be happy with that – AND – Jesus said (at least in this event), “…this happened so that the works of God might
be displayed in him.” God is involved in every aspect of our lives – good,
bad, or inexplicable.
And here’s the deal: “Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he
worshiped”. The man knew it was way beyond him, and he simply bowed his
heart in the presence of God. That ought to be the natural reaction of everyone
who encounters the presence and power of God: Lord, I believe.
I focused on the word, worship. I wonder, did he fall to his knees? Did he bow his head?
Or did he simply reach that place in his understanding that he truly stood in
the presence of the Almighty, and he did what was appropriate: he worshiped? Whatever the case, he gave
God glory for his situation, and his heart changed. That ought to be the result
of appropriate worship whether in the presence of a miracle, or sitting in
church, or crying out in prayer: Lord, I
worship You!
My child died at age 14. I was in the room when it
happened. I worshiped because it was
the right thing at the right time, and, for the right reason. I watched as my
son breathed his last breath and his spirit was carried to heaven. I worshiped because his tortured life came
– mercifully – to an end; and I praised
God for the outcome. It was over.
Father, my prayer
is this: Lord, I believe. I believe in You, and I believe You. You have said
You will take care of Your own and will redeem those who come to You believing;
and, Lord, I believe it. My belief doesn’t make it true, but my worship is accepted,
because You believe. Lord, I believe. Amen
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