March 2 “So I Went”

John 9:10-16 “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” 12 “Where is this man?” they asked him. “I don't know,” he said. 13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” 16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.
 
THE healed man becomes the center of attention, doesn’t he? He is a powerful witness to Jesus’ transforming power. But did you notice he doesn’t know what Jesus looks like? Jesus didn’t go to the pool with the man. The Lord instructed the man, and he faithfully went. He found his vision.
   Then the questions come. Who did this? Where is he? How did this happen? Are you sure? The crowd is incredulous. They have watched this man beg for years. Suddenly he sees! We cannot imagine witnessing such a wonderous display of God’s glory. We, too, would surely ask, “Who did this? Where is he?”
   Perhaps the people hoped their own sicknesses would be healed. Wouldn’t they be eager to find Jesus? “Let’s find this man to see what else he might do! If he is the Messiah, we want to see for ourselves!”
   Maybe that’s why they went to the Pharisees. Possibly their religious leaders would know where to find the Light! But the Pharisees’ opposition and accusations surprised them. While the man and his friends looked for the Light, the religious leaders dwelled in the dark. Again, these law-centered scholars had made the Sabbath a rule day instead of a restoration day. The Pharisees called Jesus a sinner. The crowd wanted to name Jesus “Savior”.
   Is the Light in you, in your church? When you go to church are you eager to tell how Jesus has touched you? Does the church believe in and celebrate his power to heal, restore and resurrect lives? When someone says, “God has touched me.” “God has healed me!” “God has saved me!” do you reject the testimony? Or do you rejoice in the Light?
   In some way, we all deny God’s personal Light power within us. Pray for faithful eyes to see him clearly. When Jesus says, “Go.” what joy it will be for you to testify, “So I went.” as you tell the church, “I see the Light.”
    
Prayer: Open my eyes to see your power within me, Holy Spirit. Amen.