May 17 - Opening of Spiritual Eyes
The man who was blind from birth had an experience that not only changed his life but also gave him spiritual insights. The story begins with a heavy and involved theological discussion on whether sin had anything to do with the man born blind. As the question was posed to Jesus, His answer was very interesting: it was not because the man had sinned or the fault of his parents. The blindness of this man was to do one thing: to reveal the manifest glory and work of God so that others might trust in the Lord. In short, it is not about how much we can understand God’s work theologically, it is all about our experience with the person and power of God.
This story begins and ends with theological discussions. Theology is the study about God and has to do with the knowledge we gain through such study. Many believers love to discuss theology as it is objective and has nothing to do with our spiritual state and our relationship with the Lord. I have never seen anyone got spiritually revived through the study of theology. It is not to know more about God in our mind but to be related rightly to Him. Relationship precedes knowledge but it enriches our knowledge of God. The man born blind is a good example.
We may treat this blind man as a seeker and then a believer and then someone who had a personal experience with Jesus. As a seeker, he did not know a lot of things about Jesus despite of the healing he received from Jesus. He did not even know who Jesus was when questioned by his neighbors and the Pharisees. The only thing he knew was about his healing. He could only deduce that Jesus might be a prophet and the one who had healed him. This was an undeniable fact. His answer was very powerful: “Whether He is a sinner I do not know, that though I was blind, now I see.” From a theological discussion about the Sabbath and the identity of Jesus, the man once again turned to his own personal experience of healing and deliverance.
As the questioning continued, the once blind person seemed to have become an authority on Jesus. His knowledge of Jesus increased and he refuted the accusations of the Pharisees. He connected the origin of Jesus to the miraculous sign He had performed. If Jesus was doing God’s will for if He was not, He could do nothing. As you read this part, were you amazed at such wisdom? This man had been turned from a seeker to a believer and then a theologian, he did not only understood the situation but had much greater theological knowledge than the well trained Pharisees. The result was Jesus reaffirming this man’s faith. He then called Jesus “Lord” and worshipped Him. Is your life filled with many doubts and questions about God? The quickest way to know Him is to experience Him. Head knowledge would not make you a better believer, your relationship with Him can change your life. Go to His Word and listen to His voice now!
Ps 69:29-36 1 Sam 20:1-21:15 John 9:1-41 Prov 15:15-17