Today’s Reading: John 9:35-41
Hearing God’s Voice for Today:
“Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him he said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is he, sir, that I may believe in him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen him, and it is he who is speaking to you.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him.”
* * * * *
The man born blind had been cast out of the synagogue. Jesus sought him, and found him. That’s how he always works with people. Long before they ever seek him, he was seeking them. He is constantly knocking on the door of people’s hearts.
You love Jesus because he first loved you. This is how his love works—not that you love him, but that he first loved you and gave his life as an atoning sacrifice for your sins. Long before you chose him, he had chosen you—before the world was ever formed.
Jesus found the blind man he had healed. The Jewish officials had rejected him. He’d been thrown out of the Temple. He needed Jesus’ grace and mercy as all despised and rejected people do. The Lord knew how the man felt. He was treated that way too.
Jesus began a dialogue with him. It led to a true revelation of who he is.
Jesus asked the man if he believed Jesus was the Son of Man. The man knew this term was a reference to the long-awaited Savior of the Jews. He asked where this person was. Jesus told him it was the Son of Man who was speaking to him.
Humbly, the man said, “Lord, I believe.” Note he called Jesus “Lord,” a term of great respect. With this term, he recognized Jesus’ identity. He knew Jesus to be God.
Then he worshiped Jesus. And the Lord received his worship. As the Son of Man, the Savior of the world, he could rightly receive this worship. Yes, only God is worthy of worship. But the Father and the Son are one. Jesus could receive this man’s worship because he is God.
Do you believe Jesus Christ is God? In this encounter with the man born blind, you can see how he eventually came to recognize Jesus’ deity. At first he thought Jesus was a mere man (verse 11). Then he thought Jesus was a prophet (verse 17). Finally, he realized Jesus was the Son of Man and worthy of worship (verse 38). Slowly, progressive revelation happened. He believed. And he worshiped.
Know who Jesus is. He is worthy of your worship. He created you and the world in which you live. Through him, all things came into being. All is under his sovereignty—including your life. He knows all. He sees all. He controls all.
He will even use your painful rejection for your good.
He is seeking you. He desires to have an intimate relationship with you. He wants you to trust him with everything in your life.
Please stop running and hiding from him.
Let him find you.
[from “Hearing the Voice of God” by Pastor David Chadwick, Moments of Hope Church, Charlotte, NC]