November 5, 2020
I Was Blind, but Now I See
Ezekiel 25-27, Psalm 85, John 9
I cannot even imagine what it was like for the blind man in today’s New Testament story. He was born blind, so he had never seen anything prior to the events we’ve read about today. He must have simply fumbled his way through life until the day Jesus showed up. Indeed, it’s not coincidental that Jesus “saw” the man (John 9:1) before the man could ever see Jesus; the Initiator of grace was doing what He always does when He draws people to Himself. Jesus knew this man was born blind so God might work mighty works through him that day.
We don’t know why Jesus put mud on the man’s eyes and told him to wash in the pool of Siloam–though some scholars argue that Jesus healing through mud harkened back to God’s creative power in the Garden of Eden. Regardless, what we do know is that when this man obeyed Jesus’ command, he “came back seeing” (John 9:7).
Think about it. He saw for the first time the sun that had warmed his skin. He saw water that had quenched his thirst. He saw with his own healed eyes the parents who had raised him. And, it occurs to me that he saw himself for the first time, too! I can just see him looking at his hands and his feet, and I suspect somebody may have helped him view his own reflection somehow for the first time. He couldn’t explain any of it, but in no way could he deny what had happened:
- “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)
- “He put mud on my eyes,” . . . . “I washed and I can see.” (John 9:15)
- “One thing I do know: I was blind, and now I can see!” (John 9:25)
That’s just the way God often works: even if we can’t always explain what He’s done, we do know He’s done something. Nobody can deny His power when He gives us physical and spiritual sight.
PRAYER: “Thank You, Lord, for being a miracle-working God.”
TOMORROW’S READING: Ezekiel 28-30, John 10
