Blind Pursuit

I have been sitting in John 9 the past 2 days. It has given me some sweet reminders and perspective on where I am today.

This chapter deals with a man that is blind and his encounter with Jesus.

The disciples ask Jesus if this man is blind because of his own sin or the sin of his parents. Jesus' response...

“This happened so the power of God could be seen in him." John 9:3

So it has me thinking... what in my life is like being blind? What are my weaknesses? My thorns that I am wanting Jesus to heal? Am I allowing God's power to be seen in me?

Jesus heals the blind man and of course, He does it on the Sabbath and so the Pharisees are a little ticked. So they ask the man who healed him. He doesn't know who healed him, he just knows what happened. The Pharisees know it is Jesus and so they rebuke the healed man saying that it should be God who gets the glory, not Jesus because He is a sinner. And this is the healed man's response...

“I don’t know whether he is a sinner,” the man replied. “But I know this: I was blind, and now I can see!” John 9:25

I love this response. Because this guy doesn't really know who Jesus is, he couldn't answer all of their questions. He wasn't a Bible scholar or a professor of theology... but what he does know is that he was blind and now he can see. So often I feel like this. I don't have all the answers. I can't give an eloquent theological answer to much. But what I do know is that I have experienced Jesus' miracles in my own life and I have witnessed it in other's lives. And so I have the same testimony as this guy. I don't know everything... but I know what I have personally experienced.

And then there is the healed man's speech when they curse him for maybe being one of Jesus' disciples.

“Why, that’s very strange!” the man replied. “He healed my eyes, and yet you don’t know where he comes from? We know that God doesn’t listen to sinners, but He is ready to hear those who worship Him and do His will. Ever since the world began, no one has been able to open the eyes of someone born blind. If this man were not from God, He couldn't have done it.” John 9:30-33

God is the one that opens the eyes of the blind. We are able to know Him and love Him because of the work that He does in our hearts and minds. And no one else is given this power.

And then the last part... we know this guy isn't totally sure who Jesus is or if he has been healed by Him. He has some ideas, but what happens next is so great.

When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked,

“Do you believe in the Son of Man?

"The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.”

“You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus.

John 9:35-38

My favorite part of this is that Jesus heard what happened and He went and FOUND the man. Jesus not only heals him, but then He pursues Him so that the healed man can know for sure who Jesus is. I love that!

And so I proclaim today that I was blind and now I see and that I am so thankful that He is constantly pursuing me and showing me who He is and growing my faith so that I can trust Him more. What a gift!