What Do You See in the Clay?
Questions. Sometimes questions can boggle the mind like those autostereograms, you know the pictures you have to stare at for a while, relaxing your eyes, and soon (hopefully) the embedded image appears. Recently in my devotional time, I sensed God gently ask me, “What do you see in the clay?” What kind of question is that? Clay? Who was talking about clay?
Well, apparently, God was about to.
To the clay, I go. John chapter 9, Jesus sees a blind man. The disciples, in learning mode, ask Jesus, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus responds, “Neither this man, nor his parents, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life…” Life, stuff happens to good people, yet – what an awesome opportunity for God to display grace, healing, love, and mercy. Jesus proceeds to heal the man, “When He had said these things, He spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva;and He anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay.” (v.6) He then tells the man to go and wash, later the man testifies of Jesus healing him.
“What do you see in the clay?” I noticed the story begins with Jesus seeing the man, (John 9:1) of course the blind man could not see Him. I see Jesus coming, coming to a situation that is waiting … for HIM. In the clay is Jesus’ DNA, He offers a part of Himself, (it’s in the spit folks!) He didn’t even ask the blind man, He just applied the clay. But the story doesn’t stop there, the soon to be the formerly blind man, had to act in obedience, go and wash. That he did. Yet, this healing is NOT just for the man, it is for those around him as well. Following the clay, the washing, the healing, 
others were captured by Jesus. What a testimony.“One thing I know: that though I was blind, now I see.” (v. 25)
“What do you see in the clay?” I see that YOU see us, You don’t look past us, we are not invisible to You, seeing the details of our life. You see us even when we may be blinded by a list of causes that have no end. You see us, concerned not by the hows/whys, but only Your call to act. We too are called to participate, You point, we go & do. Your gracious move in our life is not for us alone, it is an opportunity for others to see the ‘formerly‘ and see You in and through our lives.
The clay is just the beginning.
In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another towards love & good deeds.” – Hebrews 10:24)
(Pssst… the picture above contains a heart)
Inspired Fountain 