Mysterious
Posted by Karah
PAUSE
Consider who God is and what He does—pick out a few things you don’t understand. Thank Him for His mysteries that you have yet to discover.
Read John 9:1-2 in your Bible.
Like we often do, the disciples sought a reason for the man’s sickness. Do you ever ask God why something happened? Can you think of a specific example? Journal your experience.
“’Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ Jesus answered. ‘This came about so that God’s works might be displayed in him.’” —John 9:3
Read John 9:1-12 in your Bible and think through these questions:
During this time, religious leaders taught that any misfortune such as this man’s blindness was brought about by sin.
• Look at verse 3. What did Jesus’ response to His disciples reveal about sin and sickness? Explain.
Jesus demonstrated His power while also demonstrating compassion toward the man. Today He has the power to work in our lives and the lives of those around us no matter what the situation.
• When has God used something negative in your life to demonstrate His power? Explain.
• Jesus completely healed the man to display God’s power in his life. Think of a time when God’s power was displayed in your life. Did you live differently after that experience? Why or why not?
RESPOND
• In John 9, Jesus chose to heal the man’s longtime blindness to bring glory to Himself. Sometimes, He chooses to glorify Himself by not healing. Think of a time when you asked God for healing and the person remained sick. What were your thoughts? Journal about that experience and ask God to help you see the situation in light of His plan and His glory.
• With what current situation is God asking you to trust Him? Journal a prayer to God. Be honest with Him about your difficulty trusting Him and ask Him to help you trust Him completely.
• For further study on what happens when God doesn’t heal, read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.
BEHIND THE STORY
The Gospels record other instances of Jesus healing by mere touch, or even by speaking from a distance. However, in this situation, Jesus required the blind man wash his eyes in the pool of Siloam before receiving healing. Similarly, in 2 Kings 5, the prophet Elisha required Namaan to wash seven times in the Jordan River before he would be healed. Neither washing actually healed the men; however, both situations required obedience and faith.
THE POINT
We often have to live and trust God without knowing the “why” behind all of our circumstances. He knows what He’s doing even when we don’t.
Posted in Devotions, Girls | Tagged Camp Crestridge for Girls, Reprinted from ec magazine. @ 2015 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, Ridgecrest Summer Camps, Weekly Devotions