Skip to main content

God's Light; Social Breakdown.

The man born blind answered,
“I do not know whether he is a sinner.
One thing I do know,
that though I was blind, now I see."

Going on a cave tour, the guide turned off the lights leaving us in total darkness literally unable to see our hand in front of our faces.

I couldn't see any members of the group. 

I was totally focused on my safety.

When the lights came back on, I could see my hand in front of my face, other group members, the cave's unique features, and a sense of security.

In the darkness no perspective; in the light is reality.

It was probably a lonely experience for the blind man who's at others' mercy, lacking a sense of security, begging, and excluded from temple worship. 

By God's Grace, Jesus, sees the blind man's situation, heals him and sends him to wash in the pool of Siloam.

The blind man, interrogated by his neighbors, in frustration says, "One thing I do know, though I was blind, now I see."

I'm convinced there's a darkness in our society caused by a communication breakdown resulting in racism, gender conflicts, violence, and social isolation.

I also see all sorts of analysis and perspectives for resolution to this darkness, most of which seem beyond my comprehension as solutions.

By the Grace of God, one thing I do know, Jesus brings healing and hope to this social breakdown.

In a way, it's like the tour guide turning on the lights again. 

We have gone from complete darkness, to the subdued lights of the cave, to the completed tour, and into the radiance of God's sunlight.

We have gone from social breakdown to the brightness of God's love and justice.

Think about it: What has God provided for you along life’s journey for your strength, healing and inspiration?

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Ruler of All Earthly Kings

Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. (from Rev. 1:4-8 ) About 17 years ago I wrote a letter to the people in the United Church of Underhill. The purpose of the letter was to explain I was retiring at the end of the Conference Year. I felt the time had come for me personally to move on and for the church to grow with a new pastor. I secured a moving company while the church formed a search committee as we both prepared for the inevitable. This is the nature of the book of Revelation, as recorded in 1:4: “John, to the seven churches in the province of Asia.” This is Revelation’s context: it was written for the benefit of particular people at a particular time for their particular situation. John’s letter narrates a drama about God’s imminent invasion of the “kingdom of this world” ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Grantchester's Warning

"But know this: if the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, the owner would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” (from Luke 12:32-40 ) I regularly watch Grantchester; a murder mystery set in 1950s England. The main characters are a local detective and an Anglican priest who, as a team, solve mysteries set in the town. Two aspects of Grantchester impress me. First, the simplicity of the 1950’s police communications done by a landline phone and not cell phone. Second, the simplicity of daily life with little television and fewer possessions allowing the characters to focus on their vocation of detective and priest. This simplicity is more than a nostalgic return to the “good old days”. Instead, it’s a Shaker type of simplicity where austerity allows freedom from distractions to focus on worship and community. Today’s distraction-filled world has seemingly countless activ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Jesus, Deliverance, and Demons

"Then people came out to see what had happened, and when they came to Jesus, they found the man from whom the demons had gone sitting at the feet of Jesus, clothed and in his right mind." (from Luke 8:26-39 ) Astrid is a streaming program I often watch. The plot is a basic cops and robbers action until the criminal is caught. The uniqueness of the program is Astrid, who is on the Autism spectrum, is brilliant at solving puzzles including connecting clues to solve the crime. Watching this program has given me a more profound insight to people living with this condition and their acceptance in society. My first-hand experience with children on the Spectrum was driving a Special Needs school bus for 6 years. With this experience, I can imagine the life the possessed man was experiencing, especially living among the tombs, bound with chains and shackles, having to live in the wilds. It was no wonder he cried for mercy. Jesus, with his power and mercy, cast the demons out and even...
Post a Comment
Read more