Did you ever wonder what designs you were born with so that God might
be glorified? Maybe you didn't realize we were all born with handicaps
- some able to be seen with the human eye and some inward handicaps, yet
all of them are disabilities or weaknesses that cause us to cry out to
God. Men’s inherent weaknesses are often necessary to the purposes of
life. The hand of our Creator individually designs each of these frailties
so that He might be glorified in our lives. Through what shortcoming in
your life are you allowing God to glorify Himself today?
Let's take a look at a man with a "handicap" that glorified God and perhaps
you will better understand what I mean. Turn with me to John chapter 9
beginning in verse 1:
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And
his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his
parents, that he was born blind?
What goes through your mind when you see a disabled person? "I wonder
how they got that way?" What a contrast is seen here in the way in which
Jesus views this blind man compared to the way the disciples view this
blind man. To Jesus, he was a person to whom God's mercy could still touch
and change, for no one is an impossibility with God! To Jesus, here was
a person who had never seen the seen the beauty of God with his own eyes.
But to the disciples, this blind man was merely a topic of theological
discussion. Oh, that we would first spot the handicaps of persons and
see their deficiencies as opportunities for God to manifest Himself instead
of something juicy for us to talk about, amen? Rather than stopping to
minister to the needs in their life, it's easier for us to jump to conclusions
of judgment when we pass by and view someone’s "disabled" state. Who then
is really the blind person?? Is it not the one who disregards those in
need that is really the most handicapped?
Verse 3 of our main text sets in place the proper perspective for us to
have toward not only our own disabilities, but also the disabilities of
others. It shows us that Jesus Christ sees our handicaps as God does:
Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God
should be made manifest in him.
Jesus had two situations He was working out here in this setting. First,
the handicapped condition of the disciples hearts manifested in their
improper analysis of the blind man, and the disability of the blind man
himself. Yet in His rich mercy and love for both parties, He takes the
time in His journeys to deal with both. Jesus says in verse 4-5:
I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night
cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light
of the world.
Ladies, we're all blind - those that think they have perfect vision, and
those that can't see. What Jesus is showing the disciples here is that
HE is the light of the world, without Christ we will not see anything
in the proper perspective! He is to be our example. Are you forcing those
who are at a severe disadvantage to beg for your help? We should be doing
as Jesus did - stopping in our journeys to notice and reach out to the
blind, the disabled, and the spiritually handicapped all around us! They
are opportunities for the works of God to be manifested. Time is running
out for us to work for the Lord, and there are needs in that we should
be tending to. People’s eyes need to be opened to the beautiful works
of God!
The trouble is, when we refuse to acknowledge those weaknesses in our
lives, or the disabilities in the lives of those around us, we are blinding
ourselves to the appearance of the works of God. We completely miss the
opportunity for the beauty of God to shine forth...
Psalm 90:17 (KJV)
And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou
the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou
it.
Preparation for a miracle is found in first correcting our vision with
the Word of God. It is seeing WHAT God sees, seeing WHO God sees, and
seeing AS God sees! Does your vision need correcting today, dear lady?
Do you need to change the way you analyze your shortcomings? The way you
view others? Have you considered these personal handicaps as opportunities
for the works of God to be manifested or are you conveniently hiding behind
your crippled character? Perhaps you are the type that sits around trying
to determine the hidden meaning behind every major incident in life… Ladies,
you don't need to delve into divination - you need more faith!
Hebrews 11:1 (KJV)
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things
not seen.
Whether or not your situation improves, your faith ought to. Regardless
of the reasons for our affliction, Jesus has the power to help us deal
with it! There is no need to allow difficulty to control our lives. Perhaps
you or someone you know has been suffering from disease, tragedy, or disability
of some sort. Circumstances aren't as important as what we do with them.
Let's stop wasting our time with the question of "Why?" and consider instead,
"What?" What can I do to manifest the works of God in my own life through
my present situation? What can I do to meet the needs of another who has
been rendered inoperative ?
A diamond in the rough
Is a diamond sure enough,
For, before it ever sparkled,
It was made of diamond stuff.
Of course, someone must find it
Or it never will be found;
And then, someone must grind it,
Or it never will be ground!
But when it's found,
And when it's ground,
And when it's burnished bright,
That diamond's everlastingly
Flashing out it's radiant light.
O Christian, please, whoe'er you be,
Don't say you've done enough,
That worst man on the street may be
A diamond in the rough!
The Bible says Jesus Christ IS the light of the world. We will see this
light in action tomorrow as we continue on in this chapter. We'll see
how Jesus reaches into the darkness of one man's life, opens his eyes,
and sets him free! But today, what work has God given you to do while
you still have time?
God Bless,
Pam
Isaiah 60:1&2
Copyright 2000 Pamela A. Iannello
Revised 2004
