NOT BUILDING AN ARK

Well I have finished 'Daniel' and found it to be a tremendous read. Full of so many great lessons for life I never really thought about or considered before now.

I have started John and again I am discovering a lot more than I remembered being in there. I actually found something that has worked on me for a couple of days and even got into my early morning sleep time.

In Chapter 9, John recounts one of the occasions where Jesus heals a blind man. Jesus encountered the man as he walked along with his disciples. The disciples ask him “why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?” (v.2) Jesus reply told me something I had overlooked all these years. I expected the initial part of his response because of my personal beliefs, “It was not because of his sins or his parents' sins”, Jesus answered (v.3) I was pretty good with that and apparently had mostly stopped reading at that point over the years. The new message came in what followed which I am sure I had read over the years but never really paid much attention to. Jesus went on to say, “He was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him.” (v.3)

I, as I believe most people, have always tried to identify with the named characters in the Bible. I've tried to see myself as representing those whose great faith was used to illustrate God's faithfulness. While I never thought of myself as an Abraham, Noah, Moses, a disciple, Paul or any other first teamer, it was natural to me to dream or think my role was to be more like one of these great men of faith.

My new revelation was that while those are all great role models to aspire to be more like, my more practical role is to be more like the blind man who was given sight for the first time in his life by Jesus.

My role is to be an example of the power of God that others can see in my life. I am simply a human, flawed and sinful by nature. It's through and by the 'power of God' only that I can be save to eternal life and be in a personal relationship with my Creator.

I will never be called to sacrifice my son or to build an ark. I'll never write a book to be included in the Bible or walk in a fiery furnace, but I will be a full blown child of God only by his 'power'. If the product of that power can be seen by others in me that is really enough.