LENT:day 27: Jesus says YES to Mud in your eye

Yuck Night: a middle schoolers dream Church youth group event. Did you know I used to be a youth minister? Yep. I’ve slept on gym floors. Driven vans full of adolescents to ski trips and retreats. I’ve lead bible studies where kids looked at me like I had 3 heads. I’ve organized fundraisers and cooked a boat load of spaghetti.

And I’ve hosted YUCK NIGHTS.

You think of a gross game involving raw eggs, chocolate pudding and marshmallows and we probably played it. The kids had to sit on garbage bags on their way home to protect the interior of their parents cars. It was gross, disgusting and fabulous. We all loved it.

Like any good church group youth event we kicked off the evening with a short devotion. There is no better Yuck Night Theme story then the account of Jesus healing the blind man in John chapter 9.

v. 6. Then Jesus spat on the ground and made some MUD with his saliva. Then he anointed the blind man’s eyes with the clay. And he said to the blind man, “Now go and wash the clay from your eyes in the pool of Siloam.” So he went and washed his face and as he came back he could see for the first time in his life.

MUD IN HIS EYE. Spat in the ground with his saliva. Now thats gross. But Isn’t it awsome? You can bet he had the mans attention. I’m guessing the blind man was probably a jr high teacher. Why else would he be on board with mud made from spit touching his eyes;). Well that and he was probably open to anything that promised his sight to be given… for the first time in his life. Great need drives great obedience. He willingly let Jesus wipe mud in his eyes and

He.

Was.

Healed.

Friends. We are all… ALL …. in a season of great need. We all… ALL….are being asked to learn new things, live new normals and it’s just so darn uncomfortable. I can’t help but think our Savior, our spit in the ground and rub mud in your eye Jesus, wants to work some healing into our eyes, into our hearts into our lives. He is allowing us to get to a place where we are open to HIS plan for peace not ours, HIS wisdom for our path not ours, His willingness to do anything….

Anything to get us to our best good and HIS GLORY.

When the disciples asked Jesus whose sins had caused the mans blindess, his own or the sin of his parents – Jesus answered:

“Neither, It happened to him so that the miracles of God might be displayed in him.”

God wants to show us his best stuff. He wants to display his miracles, his strength and his power. As we head into another week of new normals… let’s expect Jesus to show up, to teach us, to heal us, to grow us, to make us new… even if it requires a little spit in the dirt and a mud mask for your eyes. The results will be oh so worth it.

Loving you where you are and pointing you forward to where He is,

justbeth:)