Mud In Your Eye
He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and told me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ So when I went and washed I received my sight” John 9:11 csb
I remember reading this passage of scripture and feeling confused by it. Later, I had the chance to speak with Pastor Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement, and I asked him why he thought Jesus performed this miracle in such a specific way. Why not just speak a word, and the man would be healed instantly? Pastor Chuck paused and said, "Frank, when it comes to understanding the methods and reasons behind how Jesus does things, I don’t have an answer except to say that He is God, and He chose to do it that way.” At the time, I wasn't fully satisfied with that answer. But over the years, I've come to accept that sometimes, that's simply how Christ chooses to work.
Throughout my life, I’ve realized that God doesn’t always act in the ways I expect. Often, He seems to take us the long way around to reach our destination, using methods we might never choose on our own. For instance, the way I came to pastor Calvary Chapel Ascend wasn’t the “typical” route. Most men go through formal training or church-planting networks and are then sent to start a new church where there’s a need. My path, however, was very different—it began when another church closed due to unfortunate circumstances, and those left searching for a church home followed me to my backyard. Over time, I’ve heard countless stories of how God has provided for people through unique, unexpected paths they could never have predicted.
What I’ve learned is that Jesus often uses unconventional methods to fulfill His will. In the Gospels, He healed people in a variety of ways—each situation was as unique as the individual He was healing. If Jesus had always used mud, for example, human nature would lead us to try and replicate that method, turning it into a formula for healing. We’d end up with “mud-flinging healing services” all over town! The truth is, God is free to use any means He sees fit. He cannot be confined to a method or boxed in by our expectations. I’ve learned to give Him space to work as He chooses, to walk by faith, and to trust in His methods—so that He alone receives the praise and glory for every miracle and blessing in my life.
I leave you with the following verse as a final example of unconventional healing that applies to this topic: So Naaman went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, according to the command of the man of God. Then his skin was restored and became like the skin of a small boy, and he was clean. Then Naaman and his whole company went back to the man of God, stood before him, and declared, “I know there’s no God in the whole world except in Israel. 2 Kings 5:14-15 csb
Where is the Lord asking you to dip or to wash, where in what situation is He saying, “Trust Me.”
Agape,
Frank
