Transformed – teen devotion – May 9, 2021

The May series is for the times we may hit rock bottom as we experience seasons of fear and weariness, despair and depression, pain and loss … all of them due to sin. Yet God never leaves or abandons us. He pursues and seeks us in our dark moments.

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him.
John 9:1-3

Rock Bottom … Why Them?

We live in a world that tries to convince us, “You get what you deserve.” Teachers will say it to students. Coaches will yell it at players. Bosses will try to convince employees of the same. You can understand the statement in some aspects of life. But not when it comes to sin and grace.

Jesus was constantly teaching lessons that his disciples—and we—need to learn well in our lives as Christians on earth. Our reading today serves as an opportunity to do just that. Seeing a blind man, the disciples mistakenly thought that there must have been a reason in either his life or in the lives of his family that caused this blindness to befall him. We can easily fall into the same trap, thinking to ourselves, “You get what you deserve.”

Thank our gracious God that we don’t. Jesus would go on to heal the blind man from his affliction, not because he deserved it, but because of Christ’s love for him. That’s how he treats us in life! We know who we are. We know how we’ve failed God and shown ourselves to be unworthy of his love. We know that if it’s true that “You get what you deserve,” we are in a world of trouble. Faith in Jesus, though, understands and cherishes that we don’t get what we deserve. Instead, we are recipients of God’s love—love revealed to us in his Son Jesus today, tomorrow, and for all eternity. Everything that happens in life is “so that the works of God might be displayed” (v. 3). What a blessing!

Prayer: Almighty God, we are not the only people who struggle in life. All have sinned against you and need the comfort that you alone can give. Be with all who are struggling, dear Lord. Help me be a friend to those around me and someone others feel they can come to for help. All to give you glory. All for your Son’s sake. Amen.


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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
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