“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him" (John 9:3).
Sovereign Lord of the heavens and the earth, merciful God, compassionate Father, how we thank You for Your care and concern for the broken, the discarded, the outcast! Thank You for showing us in Your word how to see people the way You do.
Lord, thank You for guiding us by the life and teachings of Jesus. So often we are not even aware of our long-held, untested assumptions. Just like the disciples here in this account in John's gospel, we may adopt cultural, or religious, or social perspectives that are not based on truth. Show us. Forgive us.
Help us to love God, and to love others with a holy love. Help us not to devalue people or make assumptions. Keep us from shortsightedness and insensitivity. Help us not to be unyielding in our opinions—deceived by pride and prejudice. Search us and know us, O God; expose our hearts so that we do not ignore our biases and our lack of love and compassion.
Thank You Father, that You see full value where humans see little worth. That each of us is a precious soul for which You sacrificed Your Son. That You display Your works in our need, in our broken parts, in our limitations. That You see beauty in us in spite of the imperfections of a sin-ravaged world. That You desire to redeem, and restore, and reconcile us to Yourself.
Thank You God that You desire to heal our blindness and to lead us out of darkness into [Your] wonderful light (1 Peter 2:9). Touch our hearts today. Heal us of our sin and our diseases.
We pray for those who are struggling with disabilities and physical challenges. Those under the weight of emotional or mental burdens. Those who are weary and burdened (Matthew 11:28). Draw them, O Lord, into Your peace, into Your rest, into Your healing mercy. Thank You that You make everything beautiful in its time (Ecclesiastes 3:11).
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