Grains of Sand

Google Images Born blind. That was the situation of the man who encountered Jesus in John 9. As keen as his other senses might have been, he had never seen a sunrise, or watched the wind blow gently blow through fields of ripened grain. He had never seen the faces of those who stepped out of his way on the streets, or the colour of his mother’s eyes. The disciples considered it a punishment, but Jesus told them: “ ...this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life ” (John 9:3). Twenty, thirty, forty years wondering “why?” If someone had said to this blind man that his sightlessness would bring glory to God, the logical question would have been “how?” How can such a thing be glorifying to God? The questions remain the same today. My prayer list is long with the names of people who are sick or who have been terribly hurt by others. I listen to the news and shake my head at the evil that men do. Closer to home, I am wounded by the evil that men do to me. The “why?...

Google Images It’s a familiar story. Matthew 17:1-13 describes a journey Jesus took with His inner circle to a high mountain. Peter, James, John—and Jesus. There on the mountain, these three men were privileged to see what no one had ever seen before and what no one would ever see again—Jesus, Moses and Elijah in intimate conversation. Oh to be a fly on the wall for that one! But it wasn’t only the company that stunned the three disciples. Jesus reflected some of the heavenly glory that one day John would see again and that one day we will all see. The text says that, “ His face shone like the sun, and his clothes as white as the light ” (17:2, cf. Revelation 1:12-16). Still, the event was not complete. From the heights of heaven came the voice of the Father: “ This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him! ” (17:5). Now, completely overwhelmed, the disciples fell on their faces. They were terrified. Terrified! As anyone in their right mind should be when c...