Key Verse: John 9:3
Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him…”
It is so typical of human nature that Jesus’ disciples wanted to lay blame on someone for the blindness of this man. A particular kind of venereal disease can cause blindness in a newborn. So often we see scandal when we should be seeing an opportunity to help. We fall into gossip instead of falling on our knees in prayer. For Jesus, this was an opportunity to bring glory to His Father. The Judge of all the earth did not judge. He who knows all things rejected speaking of the past sins of this man or his parents. Jesus did a creative miracle! The Pharisees are often seen as the bad guys, but here the followers of Jesus were acting like their opponents, abandoning compassion for criticism.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Dear Lord Jesus, I pray that You’ll grant me grace always to see human need with compassion and prayer. Help me to think, “What would Jesus do?” and act accordingly. Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
My mother died when I was 12 years old. My most vivid memory of her was not of her making dinner, but was of seeing her on her knees in prayer. After her death, my Dad was silent as we drove down Bank street in Ottawa, and finally he said, “I can never remember hearing your mother say anything bad about anyone.” This reinforced my positive memories of her. I do know that she visited the most needy families in the little village where we lived at the time. I marveled at the glowing eulogies given her. I didn’t think it was exceptional. I thought all mothers were like that. I know now that this is not the case. I also know that Jesus changed my heart to make me more like Him, and yes, more like Mother, Hazel Pritchard Mainse. Norma-Jean’s mother was killed by a drunk driver in a car accident when Norma-Jean was just 17. All reports are that Lillian Davies Rutledge was a woman of God. Neither Norma-Jean nor I have met our mothers-in-law. Just yesterday, as I meditated, I thought that no doubt they’ve met in Heaven. What a wonderful truth it is that I’ll see them both someday soon.
Yours for ministering to the needs of others,
David
Up Next in Year 1 | October
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100 Words - YR1 October 26 - The Good...
Key Verse: John 10:11
I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.A relationship is obvious in the picture above. Gather around our Good Shepherd and enjoy His company. Jesus is our Friend, our Provider, our Comforter, and He calls Himself, “the Door.” Shepherds li...
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100 Words - YR1 October 27 - Lazarus
Key Verse: John 11:25
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live…”It’s natural to fear death as it remains filled with the unknown. Nevertheless, we can say with Job, “I know that my Redeemer lives” (Job 19:25). People everywh...
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100 Words - YR1 October 28 - Triumph
Key Verses: John 12:10-11, 31
But the chief priests plotted to put Lazarus to death also, because on account of him many of the Jews went away and believed in Jesus… Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.Like Lazarus, we who believe in Jesus have bee...