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Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Today's Frontline Devotion February 25, 2008 The Problem of Being Healed |
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Frontline Devotion for Monday, February 25, 2008 by Fritz Foltz
John 9: 18-23 The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, ‘Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?’ His parents answered, ‘We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.’ His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, ‘He is of age; ask him.
If you have time, read the whole chapter. It is a profound description of physical and spiritual healing. We tend to think healing would be the epitome of the good news. After all it literally frees a person from past handicap. The lesson shows it is not that simple.
I chose one portion of the story that makes the point poignantly. The blind man who now sees is rejected by his parents. Many of us find Jesus’ words about this very difficult. He says things, such as we have to love Jesus more than our parents or we have to be ready to be rejected by our parents or we even have to hate our parents. Obviously there is first century hyperbole in that last one, but still teaching about parent-child conflict is hard to take, especially when we want to see the faith strengthening our families.
This illustration makes clear what it meant in the first century. The religious authorities, feeling threatened by Jesus, demonized anyone associated with him. They ostracized this man so completely that even his parents abandoned him. Fear of the authorities led them to deny their responsibility for those entrusted to their care.
We understand the cost of being abandoned. Over and over we have heard disturbed people say it all began when they were abandoned by their parents. During Lent we hear Jesus cry from in agony from the Cross, “My God, why have you forsaken me?” This story seems to report the first Christians experienced it quite often.
At Easter we proclaim God never did abandon Jesus. This story says so too Jesus does not abandon his people. When everyone else deserts the blind man who now sees, Jesus appears once more to share his life.
So too nothing ever separates us from the love of God and the care of Jesus. No matter how desperate our situation, they are there to support and guide us.
Let us pray: Heal us, gracious Father, that we see clearly you never abandon us, even in the darkest hour. And grant us courage that we stand by all those you have given us to love. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
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