Welcome to our Wednesday podcast. Our Bible passage today is John 9 vs1-23, focusing on verses 1-4, from The Message translation:

Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines.”

REFLECTION:

Sometimes writing a podcast is hard, because you find yourself having to speak and write about a topic that is personally challenging. This happened when I was on the podcast rota about 6 weeks ago. The Bible reading then was Jesus healing a blind man called Bartimeaus. I knew that God wanted me to write about those verses, but I ignored Him, and wrote about something else instead. However, as is often the case, God clearly had other plans, and this week I have 2 podcast passages looking at the healing of a man who was born blind. I really can’t write about some other verses!

So, this is the podcast for today, and for 6 weeks ago, and it is a personal reflection on 3 truths that God has taught me through verses in John Chapter 9.

On 22nd October 2008, Alan and I were blessed by the birth of our beautiful baby girl. We called her Faith. In the hospital, midwives came from other wards just to see her; because word had got round that there was a baby with the most amazing white hair.

Six weeks after she was born, we received the diagnosis that our daughter had albinism, that she was visually impaired, and that this was a lifelong condition that could not be changed or improved. Alan asked the doctor how severely she thought Faith was affected. She replied, “I think your daughter is going to have significant problems.”

Over the next few weeks I learnt many things. I learnt that albinism is a rare genetic condition where both parents have to be carriers of a gene mutation, for children to be affected. I learnt what it feels like to look at your baby and think “It’s all my fault.” I learnt what it feels like to acknowledge that your child is going to be disabled. I learnt what it feels like to get very angry with God and cry and shout “Why me and why her?” and “How could you let this happen to us?”

The first truth is that Jesus doesn’t mind when we ask difficult questions, but he is concerned with our response.

In verse two, we see the disciples asking Jesus why the man was blind – who was to blame? Today, with advanced medical understanding, we may not ask the exact same questions, but when faced with suffering, illness or tragedy, we often ask, “Why did this happen?” “How could God allow this?” or “Why me?” or “Why them?”

It is okay to ask questions. Jesus does not rebuke the disciples for doing so. However, in his response, Jesus doesn’t actually answer the disciple’s question as to why this man was born blind.

And it’s in situations like this that we, as Christians, have to make an active choice, a personal decision, to trust and believe, and have faith in God anyway…..even when we face difficult questions, and even when we may never get the answers that we are looking for.

I remember where I was when I made that decision. I knew that I never wanted to look at my daughter and think “Why?” or for her diagnosis to damage my relationship with God, and bring bitterness into my heart. So I had to choose to trust God anyway.

Maybe this is a decision that you need to make today?

To acknowledge that bad things do happen to good people; and it is rubbish……but in the face of difficulty choose to have faith in God, and not let the unanswered questions alter your personal relationship with Him. As you do this, ask the Holy Spirit to remove any bitterness towards God that may have taken root in your ...