Grace,Gratitude, Glory: Beauty from Ashes

I met Patrice at a Habitat Build (the resident).  She told me, with a beautiful smile and grin about her son with inoperable brain cancer.  He was held alive for 3 years beyond the 6 months Drs. had given.  Patrice was giving glory to God and gave her son to Him at diagnosis, not after he died.  Every day a gift, her son a miracle and a testimony to the Deliverer.    How much like the man born blind....John 9.

Why do bad things happen to good people? Grace,Gratitude, Glory.

GRACE:  John 9 As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth.  2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.  4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work.  5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

GRATITUDE: This same man went on to challenge the Pharisees, their "wisdom" and their religion, out of gratitude, not bravado.   He was thrown out of the temple because he would not be persuaded by the pharisees that Jesus was a sinner, and because his testimony was actually teaching them truth.  

GLORY: The healed man went on to meet Jesus AFTER he had left everything (parents, the temple).  He answers Jesus' only question...do you believe in the son of man?

 38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

 39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

Test:

1.  What is my response to healing, is it worship?
2. What is my effect on others, testimony to truth?
3. Today, can I see, or am I blind?  
4. Do I have joy (Jn 15:11) from my ability to see?  Patrice did.