“Jesus is in hot pursuit of the spiritually blind. They populate every pathway of every corner of the world. He finds them. And he touches them. He may use a vision, or the kindness of a friend, or the message of a sermon, or the splendor of creation. But believe this: he came to bring sight to the blind.”- Max Lucado
” ‘Go,’ [Jesus] told him, ‘wash in the pool of Siloam’ (this word means ‘Sent’). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”- John 9:7 (NIV)
Max Lucado concludes Chapter 7 of Never Alone as he notes that the blind beggar didn’t receive sight because he deserved, earned, or found it. Rather, he received sight because he trusted and obeyed Jesus. Most significantly, throughout time nothing has changed. Jesus finds people and restores their sight – yesterday, today, and forever.
Above all, Pastor Lucado underscores, bringing sight to the blind represents a task reserved for Jesus. First, the Old Testament records no stories of the blind being healed. And, in the New Testament, every event of sight restoration, save one, belongs to Jesus.
However, Max notes, the poor blind man went from seeing nothing to seeing nothing but resistance. Turns out many blind people lived in Jerusalem. For example, the religious leaders only focused on themselves and their religion. They were the real blind ones in this story. In addition, in one of his sermons, Charles Spurgeon said:
“It is not our littleness that hinders Christ; but our bigness. It is not our weakness that hinders Christ; it is our strength. It is not our darkness that hinders Christ; it is our supposed light that holds back his hand.”
Finally, at the end of John’s account, the blind beggar found himself kicked out of the temple – with no one to defend him. But when Jesus heard about it, He found the man. Jesus refused to leave the man unprotected. Expect then, Max exhorts, for Jesus to do the same for you!
Today’s question: How do you react to Jesus’ hot pursuit of the spiritually blind? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “”Appealed to the love of Jesus – Mary and Martha”
