My mind keeps going back to John 9 and the story of the man born blind who Jesus healed and the Pharisees interrogated. I've written about portions of this story on several occasions. It's such a beautiful example of how the Lord will personally enter our stories, touch our lives in some miraculous way, and then our lives and our perspectives are never the same again...One thing, one moment, or one season...opened our eyes and changed everything.
This week I've been lingering on these particular verses within the story.
"After saying this, he (Jesus) spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing." (John 9:6-7)
What I've been reminded of lately is how the road to healing and recovery will require faith and obedience and sacrifice on our part. Jesus could easily have healed this man on the spot but, instead, he asked the man to follow His instructions.
Last year, I did a little research on this passage and found out that people of that day had a high view of saliva’s healing properties so this man would not have found the actions of Jesus too odd. In fact, I wonder if anyone else had ever tried using saliva on him before? I wonder if there was any reluctancy or apprehension in this man's mind as he made his way to the Pool of Siloam. How many times in his life had someone attempted to cure him before he encountered Jesus? Yes, obeying these instructions obviously involved a level of faith on this man's part, but I have to wonder what he was thinking about as he made that journey to the pool.
My point? When Jesus stirs in our hearts and tells us to take the "next step" then we have a choice to make. What voice will we listen to? The voice of doubt? The voice of fear? The voice of condemnation? The voice of hopelessness? Because those voices are often battling for our attention too.
Listening to the voice of truth will require us to take a walk of faith.
Listening to the voice of truth will require us to leave our comfort zones.
Listening to voice of truth will require us to sacrifice something....our pride, our doubt, our possessions, our time, our selfishness, our insecurities...
This story could easily have ended differently. This man could have resolved in his heart not to listen and obey the voice of Truth. He could have turned and walked away...but something compelled him to get up and go. And, oh, what incredible beauty was waiting for him when he did!
"He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” John 9:25
One step of obedience changed everything in this man's story.
Question: What step of faith is Jesus asking you to take today?
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