After the trauma of the flood, there was new life and hope. Noah immediately offered pleasing sacrifice to God. Finally reconciled to humankind's weakness, God promised not to visit this sort of punishment on the earth again. God decided to make the best with humanity as it is and to continue giving His blessings. Even after our own setbacks and catastrophes, there is always the opportunity for a fresh beginning and hope. God never abandons us; God is always at the ready to bless us in our undertakings.

We can imagine the new life and hope of the blind man healed by Jesus. He had spent his life in darkness, now his sight was gradually restored. At this point, it was hard to tell the difference between trees and people! But the hardest part was yet to come: he had to build a new life that did not include blindness. He had to ask an important question: Now that I am not blind, who am I? Often we hope and pray for healing and change, but when it comes, we can be confused and unsure of how to move forward. Healing always includes a change of perception and attitude. If our prayers were answered, what would we have to change?