Captain Obvious

Posted on by Chris G Thelen

When I was in high school, I would often work for my uncle on his dairy farm after school and on weekends. One time we were working on his tractor when he asked me to get a specific tool hanging on the wall in his workshop. I dutifully hurried into his cluttered shop and searched the wall amidst dozens of spare parts and tools hanging on the walls. To my dismay, I could not find the tool he requested. Several minutes passed when my uncle appeared and grabbed the tool from the wall right in front of me. “It’s right here,” was sall he said, but I’m sure he was thinking, “Are you blind?”

I thought about this incident when I read John 9:13-41 where a blind man received sight from Jesus and the Pharisees refused to believe it. Just like me in my uncle’s shop, they could not see what was right in front of them — a man born blind who was now able to see because of Jesus. Amidst all the clutter in their life, they could not see past his claim that Jesus gave him sight. All they could see was that Jesus broke the Sabbath, that he must be a sinner. Like my uncle, the former blind man stood before them and pointed out the obvious, “I washed, and now I see (15).”

In the course of our life we accumulate a lot of clutter that can prevent us from seeing what is right in front of us. The Spirit of God keeps pointing out Jesus at work in our life and some days we just can’t see it. “It’s right here,” the Spirit tells us. What you need is right here.” Jesus patiently rubs mud on our eyes and tells us to go wash. As living water washes away our earthly blindness, we are able to see our creator more clearly through the clutter in our life. His light penetrates our soul so Christ’s work becomes more evident to us.

© 2019 CGThelen

12 thoughts on “Captain Obvious”

  1. I personally believe in 2019 God is removing all the ‘clutter’ from lives of His Redeemed Beloved in order that we can be continually moulded and refined into His Image. One day indeed there will be a pure and Holy Bride ready to meet the Bridegroom when He returns. Let there be LIGHT of TRUTH and HOLINESS so that His sacrifice at the Cross is acknowledged world-wide for what it means for all of humanity.

  2. Keeping our eyes on Jesus is the only way to see beyond the clutter of our lives. When we focus on Him, the distractions dim. In His light, we are no longer blinded by the world. It is the light that sets us free; it is the light that guides us so we do not stumble or lose our way. Great post!

  3. Ah. And how to clear the clutter? We must daily ask God what He wants in our lives. If our lives are busy, we pray it’s from Him, and not from our own efforts. So many reasons to kneel each day before our great God.
    Interesting lesson from John 9. Of course, before I knew the Lord, I was blind, like they were. May I not be so blind with my Father’s eyes.

  4. I read a quote this past week that said something like, “Light is the source of our vision. Without it, we cannot see anything.”

    I am reminded that God’s first recorded words were, “Let there be light.” He desires nothing more than for us to see—truly see. And with absolute certainty, He is the Light that with light up our path—not always a quarter-mile down the road, but at least the next step ahead. It comes down to intentionally seeing and then trusting…

    Ahhh, I could ramble about this topic all day. Another wonderfully written devotion. Thank you for continuing to speak truth like you do.

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