The Works of God Through Us

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Mon Jun 29, 2020 4:42 pm Post subject: The Works of God Through Us

The Works of God Through Us

Scripture:

And the Lord said to Samuel: How long will you mourn for Saul, whom I have rejected from reigning over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and come, that I may send you to Isai, the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.

And when they were come in, he saw Eliab, and said: Is the anointed of the Lord before him? And the Lord said to Samuel: Look not on his countenance, nor on the height of his stature: because I have rejected him, nor do I judge according to the look of man: for man sees those things that appear, but the Lord beholds the heart.

Isai, therefore, brought his seven sons before Samuel: and Samuel said to Isai: The Lord has not chosen any one of these. And Samuel said to Isai: Are here all your sons? He answered: There remains yet a young one, who keeps the sheep. And Samuel said to Isai: Send, and fetch him: for we will not sit down till he come hither. He sent therefore and brought him. Now he was ruddy and beautiful to behold, and of a comely face. And the Lord said: Arise, and anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward: and Samuel rose up, and went to Ramatha.
(1 Samuel 16: 1, 6-7, 10-13)

For you were heretofore darkness, but now light in the Lord. Walk then as children of the light. For the fruit of the light is in all goodness and justice and truth: Proving what is well pleasing to God. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness: but rather reprove them. For the things that are done by them in secret, it is a shame even to speak of. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for all that is made manifest is light. Wherefore he said: Rise, you that sleep, and arise from the dead: and Christ shall enlighten you.
(Ephesians 5:8-14)

And Jesus passing by, saw a man who was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him: Rabbi, who has sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind? Jesus answered: Neither has this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night comes, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

When he had said these things, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle and spread the clay upon his eyes, and said to him: Go, wash in the pool of Siloe, which is interpreted, Sent. He went therefore and washed: and he came seeing. The neighbors, therefore, and they who had seen him before that he was a beggar, said: Is not this he that sat and begged? Some said: This is he. But others said: No, but he is like him. But he said: I am he. They said therefore to him: How were your eyes opened? He answered: That man that is called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me: Go to the pool of Siloe and wash. And I went: I washed: and I see. And they said to him: Where is he? He said: I know not.

They bring him that had been blind to the Pharisees. Now it was the sabbath, when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. Again therefore the Pharisees asked him how he had received his sight. But he said to them: He put clay upon my eyes: and I washed: and I see. Some therefore of the Pharisees said: This man is not of God, who keeps not the sabbath. But others said: How can a man that is a sinner do such miracles? And there was a division among them. They say therefore to the blind man again: What say you of him that has opened your eyes? And he said: He is a prophet.

The Jews then did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him that had received his sight, and asked them, saying: Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see? His parents answered them and said: We know that this is our son and that he was born blind: But how he now sees, we know not: or who has opened his eyes, we know not. Ask himself: he is of age: Let him speak for himself. These things his parents said, because they feared the Jews: for the Jews had already agreed among themselves that if any man should confess him to be Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue. Therefore did his parents say: He is of age. Ask himself.

They therefore called the man again that had been blind and said to him: Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner. He said therefore to them: If he be a sinner, I know not. One thing I know, that whereas I was blind. now I see. They said then to him: What did he to you? How did he open your eyes? He answered them: I have told you already, and you have heard. Why would you hear it again? Will you also become his disciples? They reviled him therefore and said: Be you his disciple; but we are the disciples of Moses. We know that God spoke to Moses: but as to this man, we know not from whence he is. The man answered and said to them: why, herein is a wonderful thing, that you know not from whence he is, and he has opened my eyes. Now we know that God does not hear sinners: but if a man be a server of God and does his will, him he hears. From the beginning of the world it has not been heard, that any man has opened the eyes of one born blind. Unless this man were of God, he could not do anything. They answered and said to him: You were wholly born in sins; and do you teach us? And they cast him out.

Jesus heard that they had cast him out. And when he had found him, he said to him: Do you believe in the Son of God? He answered, and said: Who is he, Lord, that I may believe in him? And Jesus said to him: you have seen him; and it is he that talks with you. And he said: I believe, Lord. And falling down, he adored him. And Jesus said: For judgment I am come into this world: that they who see not may see; and they who see may become blind. And some of the Pharisees, who were with him, heard: and they said unto him: Are we also blind? Jesus said to them: If you were blind, you should not have sin: but now you say: We see. Your sin remains.
(John 9:1-41)

Reflection:

If we receive a miracle, we know something happened which we cannot explain. As we receive it, we must ask as to its meaning to our lives. When we perceive divine intervention, we are foolish if we turn it away.

In the moment the man born blind received his sight, his life was changed. He could not ignore what happened. Before him was a Man who gave him what no other could, but the precious gift of sight was not the only gift, the more important gift was belief, for with the sight of belief, the one once blind was able to not only see the Light of the world, but receive Him as well. (cf. John 1:3-5, 3:16-21)

The challenge is different for those who observe a miracle, but do not receive it. The question becomes, ?What just happened?? ?What did we witness?? In times of illusion and deception, it is right to be skeptical (cf. 1 John 4:1-6), but we must also consider the consequences of what we believe or fail to believe, for it is our belief which influences our decisions.

In our day and age, so many endeavor to manipulate us to certain choices or actions. Some manipulate us to control us. Some deceive us to take what we have. Others endeavor to manipulate us simply for mischief. It matters not the motive of the deceiver, what matters is if we are able to discern the truth by which we may do what is right and just.

The objective of the evil one is to separate us from our Creator. He cares not how we miss the mark of what God asks of us, only that we do. If he cannot stoke our fear, he will stoke our outrage. He has many tactics through which to attack us. It is only by our knowledge and vigilance in how we apply that knowledge by which we may do what is right and just and turn from the deceptions of evil.

If we witness a miracle, we must still assess what we observed. We must discern the meaning to our beliefs and values. If we interpret it correctly, it could lead us to our salvation or away from what threatens our soul. If we discern incorrectly, we risk eternal consequences. We face a dilemma when we do not know, when we are uncertain, when our faith hangs in the balance.

If we are told of a miracle, we often lack the context of proof. We must sometimes look to others we might trust to provide us with the confirmation we seek, but we must also remember there are those who are vested in the restraint of our belief. (cf. Matthew 7:15-20) In matters of faith, our senses may be used to confuse us. The question is laid down before us, ?What do we believe?? If we are uncertain, then, we should pray the Holy Spirit will guide us in our discernment. (cf. John 14:26)

Though God gave us miracles, those who received miracles, those who witnessed miracles, and those who recount miracles, we must still discern their meaning and what God desires we should understand. A miracle is not meant by God as a parlor trick for our amusement or entertainment. It is designed to capture our attention. Each story of scripture is provided by God from which we may examine our beliefs, our values, and our behavior, as well as our relationship with Him.

As we examine the stories, we witness accounts of those God created for a purpose. Some He raised up to be kings, while others He raised up as afflicted so they may receive His blessings. The purpose of these events are not for any soul in isolation, but for many souls as the accounts and outcomes ripple through the generations. What we do as a result continues the story of our relationship with God and the outcomes.

The king and the man born blind were each brought into the world for a purpose, but, we must also remember, whether they accomplished that purpose or not was a result of whether they listened to what God endeavored to teach them and to what God called them. Their purpose could not be accomplished if they did not respond to the instruction and call of their Lord.

As Jesus began to put the miracle of sight in motion, He smeared mud on the eyes of the man born blind, then told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. Of course, it was possible that Jesus could will sight into the man's eyes, but He called the man to participate in the miracle by telling him to go wash. One might wonder if we would be discussing this miracle today if the man did not have the faith to do what Jesus instructed?

This question is not just for the man born blind, but for us all. What will we receive if we do not follow the instruction of our Lord and Savior? We must also ask, for what purpose were we created and what action does God ask of us? Moses was born to lead the people of Israel from slavery. Prophets were raised to inform the people and instruct in the ways of the Lord. Noah was conceived to build an ark and continue the generations. The man born blind was brought into the world to set it talking about the sight he received from the One True Light.

Just as the life of the man born blind was changed as he received his sight, so is ours as we seek the knowledge and wisdom of the Lord. As we receive Him, as we allow Him to help us see, as we allow Him to instruct us, He shall guide us to our purpose. If our faith is in our Lord and we listen to His Holy Word; whether we are a beggar, a builder, or a king, something shall ripple through us to help accomplish His will of love. It begins with what we learn. It is put in motion as we say, ?Yes,? to His call. It bears fruit as we put His instruction into action.

Let us, then, go wash the eyes of our heart in the pool of prayer. It may not be our eyes of the world which receives sight, but the eyes through which we follow the path to our eternity. As we wash, so we may receive the sight of the heart, let us also give thanks and praise for the many blessings He brings and the many wonderful ways He works in our lives.

Questions for further reflection:

In what ways do we measure others and in what ways does God measure us?

In what ways do we seek to receive the sight which is possible only through His Holy Truth?

In what ways do we follow the instruction of our Lord and what are the consequences when we do not?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier