Thoughts for the Day

As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth... His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him.... When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.

(Church in Wales Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

This little miracle of the healing of the blind man reminds me of another healing involving being washed in water. But first, to look at something a little odd. Why does Jesus bend down, use his spit to make mud, and then put it on the man's eyes? There's no real answer but possibly he wanted to emphase the thought that as God made us from dust, so he could heal through dust. Saliva was thought to have healing properties.

However, let us look at another story, that of Naaman (2 Kings 19). He isn't blind but he has leprosy. The prophet Elisha directs him to go and wash seven times in the river Jordan, and he is angry, thinking that Elisha could have at least come out of the house and held his hands over him. Basically he has absolutely no faith that he will be healed.and it takes his servants to persuade him to do as Elisha commands. If we compare this to the man who is blind, he obeys Jesus' command, and in faith goes to wash in the pool of Siloam. His sight is restored and he is eable to see for the first time in his life.

Today, if our faith is dim, enable us to lean on the faith of others and be persuaded that God is in charge and knows what He is doing. If our faith is strong, may we thank God and praise Him.

Lord God,
when our faith is dim or fails completely,
may we trust others whose faith is strong
and continue to pray to You.
When our faith is strong
let us be grateful
and help those who struggle with faith.
May we never forget to thank You
and praise You.
Amen.