John 9 contains the story of the man who is born blind. Jesus heals him. This story has greater detail than other healing stories. It is carefully pointed out that “healing” someone who is blind from birth differs from healing someone who had lost their sight during birth. In the case of the latter, the healer fixes something that is broken. Giving sight to one who never had sight is more akin to an act of creation. Jesus brings something into existence which had never been.
We speak of God as one, in three persons. This is one of the stories in the Gospel which insist that we not separate those three persons.
Another aspect of this story is the detail of how the neighbors react. At first, they won’t believe that he has his sight. “It isn’t him, but someone who looks like him.” “It is our son,” the parents insist. What has happened seems too much to accept.
There is an author by the name of Marva Dawn. In her book, “Unfettered Hope,” she challenges us to unfetter our “hope” from those things which are so small. She says that our unwillingness to put God to the test means that we as God for that which is likely to happen anyway. We pray for understanding or acceptance. We ask for insight or patience. God is huge; why wouldn’t we ask God to do huge things?
I think of next Tuesday’s efforts to pray for peace. There are so many spots in the world where peace seems impossible. But why do we think such thoughts. Are not all things possible with God? Then shouldn’t peace be possible?
We are sometimes unbelieving when it comes to God’s greatest acts. The thing which happens seems too much to accept. If we keep our expectations low, then God’s actions (or our perception of God’s actions) will begin to form a perfect match.
I will pray for peace next Tuesday. And I will expect peace to come.
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