Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” ... So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” -John 9:16-17,24-25
Religious people are sometimes freaked out by things that cannot be naturally explained. I was freaked out when God healed my first wife - like the man in this story she was blind and began to see. And I was totally freaked out when she passed her driver's exam. Like the Pharisees, this quazi-religious Episcopalian was clueless about such things.
I love the simplicity of the healed man's responses. No theological mumbo-jumbo. He called Jesus a prophet but you get the sense that he was not sure what that meant. He stuck to his own experience and testified only about what happened to him. It is an example of how we should act. Tell people what you know. Stick to the facts and let God do the rest.
Open our eyes Lord. Expand our vision. Sharpen our inner sight. That we might see Jesus in our midst.
... this devotion is part of an ongoing series on the Gospel of John.
Wonderful story, and your personal experience is so exciting. It's so simple, if we would just share what God has done for us. Once I was blind and now I see. Once I was dead in trespasses and sins and now I'm alive. Thanks Bob...
ReplyDeleteAppreciate your encouragement Wanda. I can remember times when my wife would say those simple and powerful words to small and large audiences. Her testimony speaks to me even today.
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