In God's Hands

In God's Hands

"The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my
eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and
washed and then I could see." John 9:11

On the days when we feel very ordinary and unqualified for the tasks set before us, this story of Jesus healing a blind man is one of many that encourages us about what the Lord can do in each of our lives.

In performing this miracle of healing, Jesus took something that has no evident value or purpose, common mud, dirt mixed with water, and placed it on the man's eyes as a point of contact in his healing. It teaches us a lesson we need to learn and remember- that in God's hands, the ordinary is changed into the extraordinary, nothing becomes something, and nobodies become somebodies,

We have another example in Moses' life. God told him to take up the staff in his hand, a branch of a tree that had been dried out and carved into a walking stick. That staff, which Exodus 4:20 calls "the staff of God", became a symbol of God's power when it was thrown down and became a snake and, again later, when it was used to strike the waters of the Nile and turn them into blood. Outside of God's hand, it was powerless but in the hands of God, it was transformed into a tool to be used for His glory. And that really is the case for each of us. Outside and separated from God, we are powerless to bring about the changes and breakthroughs we long to see in those around us. But that is not the end of the matter.

When it comes to people, the disciples who were used to heal the sick, raise the dead, and perform many miraculous signs and wonders are referred to, in Acts 4:31 as unschooled, ordinary men." I find that verse to be one of the most encouraging verses in the entire Bible. It shows that our confidence need not be in ourselves, that we don't have to be insecure in our own lack of ability, talent, wisdom or strength. Our lives just need to be placed in the hands of God.
So many struggle trying to be "enough", good enough, strong enough, smart enough, and cool enough to be accepted by others. And the unfortunate result is increasing insecurity in lives that can never measure up. But maybe we don't need to measure up, maybe we don't need to be enough. We just need to realize that our sufficiency is from the Lord and then turn our lives over afresh to the Lord, allowing Him to make us the men and women He created us to be. We may not be as capable as we wish, but God is able! And that's where our hope lies.

God Bless
Pastor Joe
Gateway Church