Lenten Reader | Day 23

March 20th, 2023

As Long as it is Day

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. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

John 9:1-5

The spring time change that we experienced last week is one of my favorite parts of the year. The extra hour of sunlight in the evening. The slowly rising temperatures after the long, cold(ish) winter. The promise of spring with its green leaves and colorful flowers.

Just being able to be outside – and stay outside longer – brings great joy. Playing wiffleball. Disc golfing. Even starting to do some yard work. Every year at this time, I tell me kids that we’re going to stay outside as long as we can because we were couped up all winter, and we’ll be couped up again next winter. We have to take advantage while we can! (Sidenote: this usually only lasts a couple months until I’m tired and want to rest on the couch.)
But Jesus is saying that our faith is like this: we need to take advantage of the time that we have. While we have the time, we need to do the works of the Father. And what are the works of the Father? As Jesus says in Matthew 22, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Let’s not tire of doing God’s will while the have the opportunity. In this Lenten season, let’s find ways to love God with all our hearts, and let’s find ways to love our neighbors. Find one small way to do each of those things today.

Erik Allsop