For His Glory and Our Good

This morning I read the story from John 9 of the man blind from birth. I read the familiar question of the disciples, "Who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" And Jesus answers with the familiar words, "It was not this man that sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him."

I wrestled with these words. I want a world where disease and illness are no more; where babies are born whole and without defect, where tragedy and accident are no more. And then to consider that this very thing that looks like tragedy, feels like heartache, is the vessel of the glory of God revealed...

How to take this in? How to surrender to the God who is always sovereign and always good when I don't always understand that power or that goodness?

I was mulling this over all morning as I went to spend time with a family who recently welcomed their second baby. As we stood in the playground watching her almost three-year-old run around, she remarked to me that she couldn't wait til the infant she was holding was big enough to play with his brother. She told me how her mother's heart would break in the waiting before that second child was born as she watched her firstborn play by himself. How she ached for him to have a brother or sister to be his companion and friend. And how when she had that second baby and they brought him home her firstborn son rebelled and quickly asked when that baby was going back to his house. She told me how she knew that having a brother would be so good for her firstborn but how it wasn't easy. 

And then I glimpsed a bit more of the heart of our good God--a God who we know does not "willingly afflict or grieve the children of men (Lamentations 3:33)." With His Father's heart he aches for us to have what is good--but we often, like my friend's son, react by wanting to give the gift back. We want what is easy and not what is best. He knows the things that He has allowed to come our way are working together for our good and He simply asks us to trust His love just as my friend asks her firstborn son to trust her love for him. Just as the mother's love is not lessened for one when then second is born, our Father's love is not changed by our circumstances either. 

Lord may I receive with Thankful Trust whatever You allow into my life "that the works of God might be displayed in" me.