Why Me?

John 9:1-23

If you have seen the Tim Tebow Super Bowl commercial and know a little of his story (www.family.org), it also mimics our story too. No, I am not a football player, but when my wife was pregnant with our son, we too were pressured to have an abortion. Yet, this, to us was a miracle pregnancy. We tried for over 10 years to have children, and we were finally “with child” and the hospital administers and insurance folks said, no, you must abort! We had to fight for our child’s life before he was even born. Why? Because, they thought he had down syndrome and cystic fibroses. And, my wife was in a very intense high risk pregnancy. 3 ½ years later, today, we had to rush him to the hospital with a very high fever, vomiting and coup… very scary, after a weekend of sleepless sickness. This was another terrifying “bump” in life. Where the question, why me seems to crop up. We are back, with the wonder drugs in hand and us grateful parents with a fussy child… and so far he is doing good. Obviously, our precious son was not aborted, how heinous and evil that would have been. And, except for today, he has been an example of perfect health and extreme intelligence. He could at 2 ½, say his ABC’s forward and backwards, do simple math and now, read and…well I won’t say, it might be like bragging-lol. Well, as a friend just said, welcome to parenthood and life…For us and many, the “why me’s” are at hand. The hardships of life keep coming at us, and what we went through today is a mere speck to what we have been through and that was a mere speck to what our Lord has done for us.

This passage addresses this common complaint of “why me” to those of us in sufferings and mishaps; why did this happen? As this blind man and his parent’s must have lamented. But the why we usually seek is personal; why me and not someone else? I do not deserve to go through this. But, Jesus’ response was for us to look beyond the “why” to the “how”—how can we lift ourselves up from the mud and muck of life so we can see His purpose for us? How can we, with Christ’s empowerment and precepts, go wash, so to have meaning and a call, and to heed it, to learn and grow for God’s glory? How can we look beyond our circumstances and strive for the goal of what Christ has for us so we can grow out of our fears and hurts and not be held captive by them and not be founded on our inadequacies or limitations but be able to move forward in the faith? God will take us beyond what we think we can do or even dream if we let Him in His time. Further, how can we refuse to allow ourselves to be hindered by perceived ability, but seek how God can use us where and how we are? What steps can we take to not let setbacks, past disappointments, or wounds limit us and keep us from moving, but rather progress toward a better, more godly and contagious example for the faith? How can we fulfill what God has sent us to do in the journey of our lives and relationships, no matter what situation in which we find ourselves or kind of past we have?

This passage also depicts the power and compassion of Christ. In the midst of God’s power, purpose and love is His call for us to obey. He has set up instructions for us to live by that are meant to help, guide, mold, shape and protect us. They also help us grow, mature and create community and fruitful living. This is a tough concept for many who want things their way and do not like authority or the progress of faith that is honed by life’s irritations and opportunities. But before we can be illuminated more in faith we have to escape the darkness of what holds us back, our sins and frustrations, our fears and misguided beliefs. We have to learn to grow beyond our “why me’s” into what does Christ want of me!

Questions to Ponder

1. What do you need to wash off, so you can have more meaning, hear your call, and then heed it, learn, and grow for God’s glory?

2. What are the things that cause mud and muck in your life? How can you lift yourself up from the mud so you can see His purpose for you? How can you do it with Christ’s empowerment and precepts?

3. What would your life look like with a more godly and contagious example and display for the faith of others?


More here:

http://www.intothyword.org/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=64436&columnid=3803