Read John 9:7b-12. Circle the words that stand out to you. What is the Lord saying to you?
7b So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”
10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked.
11 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.”
12 “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don’t know,” he said.
Digging Deeper
This afternoon a church member called me. I wasn’t expecting that call, but she asked how I was doing and how my daughter-in-law was doing. Wow, a church member called me up to check on me and my family! As the conversation progressed, I sensed there was something more to her phone call.
I shared with her that in our last the prayer meeting, we prayed for her husband. She began to share his medical condition. Then she asked me if her friend can call me and talk to me about how I am handling the cancer of my daughter-in-law. I replied that this friend can call me and I will be glad to share with that person. Before we hung up, I asked her if I may pray for them and her friend.
Do you ever wonder what happens when you share a spiritual truth with someone or pray with someone regarding their need or the needs of their friends? What do they feel and think after the conversation? How do you feel after a pastor visits you or calls you?
I can imagine that once blind man walked really fast or even ran home, shouting, “I can see! I can see!” If I was his dad, I would have shouted to all my friends and neighbors, “My son can see! My son can see!” Wouldn’t we all shout if our disabled child or critically ill family member was suddenly whole? We would be texting, calling, emailing, Facebooking everyone, even our coworkers.
Everyone will want to know how it happened. “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. 11 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.”
What would be the response of your friend who is in need if God graciously answered your prayers for them? What will they say about you, your prayers, and your God? I think they would be jumping up and down, praising God for His goodness and grace to them. I know that I would doing that if my daughter-in-law was in remission of her cancer.
While He may not answer us in the way that we want, I am reminded that God has answered the “small” prayers of mine and of the Church family. It’s easy to forget that God answered those small prayers. Let us not be shy to share the answered prayers by God whether it is in the “small” requests or in the “big” miracles. But let us be bold in our sharing of the things that God has done, family and friends will hear of your testimony that there is a living God who loves and cares for you and for them.
What will a person feel after you prayed with them? How do you feel when someone prayed for you? I believe each of our hearts will be lifted up and encouraged. When they see their answered your prayers, big or small for them, may they shout for joy for it is God who answered your prayers and mine.
-Kingston