finding purpose along the road

This morning the She Reads Truth devotional was on John 9:1-41.  In this passage, Jesus and his disciples encounter a blind man who had been blind since birth.  The disciples asked Jesus who it was that had sinned - him or his parents?  Jesus answered "It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."  This verse caught my breath and I started thinking once again about the purpose He might have for me.

This man had been blind since birth.  He never saw a beautiful sunset painted on the canvas of the horizon, could only feel the warmth of the sun on his face.  He would walk along a dusty road and never notice the beautiful flowers or plants that God had made.  He knew no colors, only shapes and textures.  A lot of the beauty of this creation was lost on him. He could not work - sitting on the side of the road begging was all he was known for.  Even his parents were distant.  It says in verses 21-23 that his parents were afraid to testify about Jesus being God because they were afraid to be put out of synagogue.  When the Jews questioned them on who healed their son, rather than standing up for their son and backing up his story, they put the questioning back on him.  "He is of age", they said, "ask him".  I am sure this man often questioned his purpose here on this earth each day he sat lonely on the side of the road - probably felt he had none at all.

But God.  He showed this man his purpose and it came in the form of mud and spit.  And then he had sight!    His life was changed in a moment!  An encounter with Jesus does that.  It is easy to find ourselves feeling discouraged and wondering why we are sitting on the side of the road in life, when we wish we could be doing something more.  But even then, God has a purpose for us.  We do not know when or how it will be revealed, but know this - He knows the plans He has for us (Jeremiah 29:11) and you can bet that it will be something amazing, because when God's works are displayed in our lives, they cannot be anything short of amazing!  God used this sinful beggar to testify in front of the Jews that Jesus was from God.  He uses us too.  When we go to work, when we stay home with our kids, when we do the day-to-day seemingly purposeless things that God has called us to do with a joyful heart- He uses us.   When we trust in His plan and let Him be displayed in our lives, He uses us.  The day we met Jesus our lives were forever changed! So I will keep getting up each morning and trust that He has me right where He wants me, even if I can't see the purpose in it just now.  And I want to be ready for the day that he slaps some mud on my eyes and says "This! This is the plan I have for your life - go and do this!"