John 9:1-5 - Who's to Blame?
"Did God send the coronavirus to get our attention?"
Different people have asked me that lately. My response? God is always trying to get our attention. COVID-19 and any other disease exists because we live in a fallen world. God created a perfect world, but Adam's sin has corrupted it. Sometimes people suffer directly because of personal choices. But good people get sick and die, too.
When confronted with crisis and suffering, our instinct is to ask,
"Who's to blame?"
Once,
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:1-5, New Living Translation)
And then Jesus proceeded to restore the man's eyesight.
There are plenty of people trying to find who to blame for the coronavirus, the spread of it, the mismanagement of it, etc. etc. etc.
How would Jesus respond? "This happened so the power of God could be seen..."
Some will be healed; some won't. Regardless, our role is to "quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us." Those tasks are summarized as: "Love God, and love people." (Luke 10:27) Love the people you see every day; love the people on the other side of the world. (Luke 24:47) That is how the power of God will be seen, "while we can still work."
God, Build our anticipation to see Your power revealed. Where there is a desire to blame, turn it into serving. Enable us to do the tasks of loving You and loving others. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Different people have asked me that lately. My response? God is always trying to get our attention. COVID-19 and any other disease exists because we live in a fallen world. God created a perfect world, but Adam's sin has corrupted it. Sometimes people suffer directly because of personal choices. But good people get sick and die, too.
When confronted with crisis and suffering, our instinct is to ask,
"Who's to blame?"
Once,
As Jesus was walking along, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. 2 “Rabbi,” his disciples asked him, “why was this man born blind? Was it because of his own sins or his parents’ sins?” 3 “It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins,” Jesus answered. “This happened so the power of God could be seen in him. 4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:1-5, New Living Translation)
And then Jesus proceeded to restore the man's eyesight.
There are plenty of people trying to find who to blame for the coronavirus, the spread of it, the mismanagement of it, etc. etc. etc.
How would Jesus respond? "This happened so the power of God could be seen..."
Some will be healed; some won't. Regardless, our role is to "quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us." Those tasks are summarized as: "Love God, and love people." (Luke 10:27) Love the people you see every day; love the people on the other side of the world. (Luke 24:47) That is how the power of God will be seen, "while we can still work."
God, Build our anticipation to see Your power revealed. Where there is a desire to blame, turn it into serving. Enable us to do the tasks of loving You and loving others. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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