Jesus — Man Born Blind - Tuesday
TODAY’S VERSE
John 9:6-7
Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man’s eyes with the mud and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing. (ESV)
Have you ever felt like someone is overcomplicating what they’re asking you to do or what you need to figure something out together? Ever since having our first child, Dean, my wife and I run into this a lot. If you’re a parent, you get it. The first time your child sleeps the majority of the night, you turn into Sherlock Holmes and record the barometric pressure in the nursery, sanctify the timing of feeds, diaper changes, naps during the day, and how you placed them into their crib. All of this in a futile attempt to produce equally favorable results, ignoring the fact that, evidently, something as simple as learning you have hands and feet means everything starts over.
The healing of the blind man in John 9 is complicated like this. When I read the story, it makes me wonder why the process is what it is: Why spit? Why mud? Why cover a blind guy's eyes? Why send a blind guy off to find a different place to actually receive the healing he desperately desires?
One of the most interesting things about this miracle is how unnecessarily complicated it feels. Jesus could have spoken a word. He could have touched the man’s face. He could have healed him instantly, like He does so many other times. Instead, He bends down, makes mud, rubs it on the eyes of a man who has never seen anything, and then tells him to go somewhere else to finish the process. Which brings us back to the verse just before. This all plays out because of John 9:3: “but that the works of God might be displayed in him.” Honestly, I was so quick to forget the purpose of it all.
In John 8, the religious leaders demanded proof and credentials before they would even consider believing. The blind man in John 9 does the opposite. Despite the fact that he can’t see Jesus and only hears him, and despite Jesus using a somewhat odd method to provide healing, the man proceeds in faith. He listens, stands up, and walks what he knows is a less-than-easy path in his condition. Some sources say it’s about a 15-minute walk, pretty significantly downhill, and not straight by any means. One thing that’s easy to miss is that he’s still blind at this point!
I often find myself wanting a plan, routine, and tangible outcome before I set off towards an objective. I want confidence before I commit. Jesus often asks us to move before we understand and to trust him while our vision is still blurry.
Today, I want to take on the posture of the blind man. I want to trust the voice of Jesus and follow in obedience.
APPLICATION
Is there something Jesus is asking you to do that feels unclear or uncomfortable? Instead of waiting for certainty, what if you took the next step He’s already put in front of you?
PRAYER
Pray for trust even when you can’t see the outcome yet. Ask for help listening and obeying Jesus’ voice and for the trust to be confident in His good plans for you.
