Can you imagine? Jesus heals a guy. Guy gets banned from his local church.
Some people don’t have to imagine it.
John 9:35-41
Jesus heard they had expelled the man born blind. Finding him, Jesus said, “Do you believe in the Human One?”
He answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”
Jesus said, “You have seen him. In fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
The man said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshipped Jesus.
Jesus said, “I have come into the world to exercise judgment so that those who don’t see can see and those who see will become blind.”
Some Pharisees who were with him heard what he said and asked, “Surely we aren’t blind, are we?”
Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you wouldn’t have any sin, but now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
Prayer
God,
I pray for the Church amidst current complexities. Perhaps it’s not even that complex, just that we make them so.
Make us a simple Church, God. A people who aren’t afraid of change, so be it demonstrated in the lives of individuals who have been impacted by your grace, forgiveness, and healing.
I know I like order. I like to predict. I like to feel in control of things, even if the only control I can manage is that I can wrap my head around the current experience. I tend to apply and assume my experience upon that of everyone else.
So help me, God: Give me a head and heart that is ready for anything. Help me to see and recognize true change. Keep me from the rigidity of human presumption and preference, but so also the recklessness of an over-free spirit.
I want to be a participant in the goodness and love of your Kingdom. So mess me up, Lord.
By your spirit & in Christ,
Amen.