There are few places I enjoy more than Ketchum/Sun Valley, Idaho. It just so happens to be where our family is spending the week, thanks to the generosity of some wonderful people. The community and surrounding area is something special. It's difficult to look out our back door, behold the sight of the Smokey Mountains of Idaho, the Big Wood River, and various hiking trails and bike paths, and not think about the Creator of all that is. I am in awe. Perhaps you've experienced the same when you've been in the mountains or at the beach?
On Sunday, we had the opportunity to worship at the Presbyterian Church of the Big Woods. No less than three Presbyterian Senior Pastors from other churches attended the 9:30 service. I guess I'm not the only one who loves the area! During the service, there was a group from Africa who led the worship singing. They were fantastic! They sang with incredible passion and, in the rich tradition of African worship, did a little dancing as well. I think my hips may have swiveled on more than one occasion...unintentionally!
You can imagine my spiritual high. Worshipping God in the midst of some beautiful country. It doesn't get any better than that, does it? And then...
The guest preacher for the morning was introduced, and he stood up to address the congregation. Don Schoendorfer is the founder and president of Free Wheelchair Mission (http://www.freewheelchairmission.org). Their mission is to "provide the transforming gift of mobility to the physically disabled poor in developing countries, as motivated by Jesus Christ." I was startled to hear that 80% of people with disabilities live in developing countries. That number is staggering when you consider most of those people are without aid. During the message, he read a brief passage from the ninth chapter of John. He then proceeded to show a video of residents in a village in Ghana. Their mission group had arrived, and word quickly spread that they were giving away free wheelchairs. To see so many people come, dragging themselves in the dirt or walking with the assistance of a staff was quite a sight. The hope of mobility compelled them to come forward and they did so with great dignity.
In chapter nine of the Gospel of John, Jesus and his disciples encountered a man disabled by blindness. The disciples pose to Jesus a question, inquiring as to who is to blame for his disability: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (9:2, NIV)
Isn't that the question that most of us ask, when we see a person who is suffering, disabled, poor, ill, etc? Basically, we want to know who is to blame? We tend to think of it as punishment for some misdeed. Truth be told, some people who fall on hard times do so because of the poor choices they make. There is no question. For the person who was born disabled, however, their situation is not due to a poor "choice." We tend to get frustrated with and ascribe blame to God when it happens to someone we love. Why did you do this to him?
Jesus responds: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned... but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:3-5)
Jesus is not interested in ascribing blame. The reality is we live in a broken and fallen world. He is interested, however, in speaking about the purpose for which He came into the world. Jesus is led by the Father to offer a sign that He is indeed the light of the world. Specifically, He healed the blind man and through this miracle, demonstrated His authority and identity: the Savior of the world.
Our sufferings are always opportunities for God's grace to be revealed. In the midst of the darkness, the light of Jesus can and does shine. His compassion preceded the miracle, and we are to have the same compassion. Elsewhere in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus articulates the expectation He has for His followers to be bearers of His light.
"You are the light of the world... In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-15)
Here's the lesson I learned in a nutshell: Although God is revealed in the majesty of His creation: the mountains, rivers, oceans, etc., He is more clearly revealed through the compassion we extend to those who suffer, as we are the incarnational presence of Jesus to the world. Both are equally beautiful!
Have a revealing week!
In chapter nine of the Gospel of John, Jesus and his disciples encountered a man disabled by blindness. The disciples pose to Jesus a question, inquiring as to who is to blame for his disability: "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" (9:2, NIV)
Isn't that the question that most of us ask, when we see a person who is suffering, disabled, poor, ill, etc? Basically, we want to know who is to blame? We tend to think of it as punishment for some misdeed. Truth be told, some people who fall on hard times do so because of the poor choices they make. There is no question. For the person who was born disabled, however, their situation is not due to a poor "choice." We tend to get frustrated with and ascribe blame to God when it happens to someone we love. Why did you do this to him?
Jesus responds: "Neither this man nor his parents sinned... but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of Him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:3-5)
Jesus is not interested in ascribing blame. The reality is we live in a broken and fallen world. He is interested, however, in speaking about the purpose for which He came into the world. Jesus is led by the Father to offer a sign that He is indeed the light of the world. Specifically, He healed the blind man and through this miracle, demonstrated His authority and identity: the Savior of the world.
Our sufferings are always opportunities for God's grace to be revealed. In the midst of the darkness, the light of Jesus can and does shine. His compassion preceded the miracle, and we are to have the same compassion. Elsewhere in the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus articulates the expectation He has for His followers to be bearers of His light.
"You are the light of the world... In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-15)
Here's the lesson I learned in a nutshell: Although God is revealed in the majesty of His creation: the mountains, rivers, oceans, etc., He is more clearly revealed through the compassion we extend to those who suffer, as we are the incarnational presence of Jesus to the world. Both are equally beautiful!
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