John 9:3 “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.”
The thought that immediately comes to mind is “why do bad things happen to good people.” This kid was born blind, he’s always been blind and it seems unfair. Jesus makes a claim that the child’s blindness is not punishment for his or his parents sin. In essence, Jesus says that God didn’t make this happen in response to the sin of him or his parents. The Jesus offers an explanation that this blindness occurred so the power of God could be seen in him. Notice, that Jesus doesn’t say God made the kid blind; Jesus just states that the tragedy makes space for the power of God to be seen. Its as if Jesus is pointing to a truth that God views our human tragedies as opportunities for his power to be seen through us.
What a breath of fresh air…..so often we want to blame God for the tragedies of our lives and even get upset with God for not stepping in on our behalf. But yet when we practice this belief we are saying that God punishes based upon the sin we commit; that somehow our sin causes God to punish us. Isn’t this contrary to the very heart of Jesus’ message. Didn’t Jesus come to rescue us from the penalty of our sin and not deliver the punishment of it? Why then do we act like our actions result in the favor or punishment of God? What would it mean for us to believe in a faith that God does not bring about tragedy in our lives as punishment for our sin but that God looks at our tragedies as opportunities for His power to be made known through us? What would it mean to have such a deep faith in Jesus that I would view the tragedies of my life as opportunities for God’s power to be made known through me? I think it would mean that those tragedies would not have power over me and that in allowing God’s power to be made known through the tragedy I would experience a healing that would never come any other way.
Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching me again that your love and mercy are the most important factors in my life. Give me the grace to day to have the faith to view tragedy as opportunity. Protect me from blaming you or trying to pass the buck and make you responsible for the tragedy of the world but give me the grace to trust that you will use the tragedy to display your power at work in my life. Give me the assurance today that you have not come to punish me but to rescue me from sin and give me new life where you take my tragedy and turn it into an opportunity for your power to be made known. Amen.
Tragedy is not punishment but opportunity for God’s power to be revealed in my life.
Click here for Crossroads Church!
