If you ever went to Sunday School, you likely remember the flannel graph (can I get a witness?) of the story of the man born blind from John 9. The one where Jesus mixed some dirt with his spit and made mud (the boys loved this part), and then put it on the man’s eyes.
When I dig into John 9 now (sans flannel graph), after wandering a little bit further down the path of my discipleship journey since sitting in Sunday School, I’m enraptured by this encounter.
This man has been treated and told from the beginning of his life that there must be something horribly flawed in him that he would be born blind. Imagine growing up in the dark, not only physically, but also emotionally, socially, and spiritually.
He passed his days begging near the temple. He knew the Scripture. He had been listening. My guess is he probably also asked- maybe not out loud, but certainly in the quiet of his own heart- “Why?”. A lot.
Now imagine a hot, dusty day. A day like the one before. Another day of sitting and begging. And then he hears something. Jesus’ disciples ask Him about the man’s blindness… was it his fault or his parents fault? To which Jesus answers a glorious, “Neither.”
Imagine the blind man’s heart pounding as he hears Jesus kneel down- His knees causing the gravelly dirt to crunch as He moves in even closer. “This happened,” Jesus speaks, “so that the works of God might be displayed in him. ”
Imagine the way the blind man holds his breath as Jesus spits on the dirt in front of Him and listens as Jesus is moving the dirt around. Then imagine the way he startles as Jesus gently holds his face with one hand, and rubs his eyes with mud with His other hand. I bet he didn’t know what to feel in this moment. Would you?
Jesus tells him to go and wash, so he finds his way to a pool and washes. And imagine… seeing light for the first time! Trees. People. Everything. 
The healing of his blindness was a miracle. Unheard of. It was a gift. However, I think the greatest gift this man received was the truth of his identity. This Jesus- the One Who found this man and proclaimed that he was set apart from the very beginning to be used to display the glory of God- is the same Jesus with the same GREAT news for you, too!
There is a God who knew you before the light was separated from darkness… a God Who dreamed up a beautiful purpose for your story here on this earth, and friend? He is the kind of God who doesn’t walk past you. He is the kind of God who stops and lovingly gazes down at you sitting in the dust. He SEES you. He is the kind of God who kneels down, and lets the dirt and rocks dig into His knees as He inches closer to where you are huddled. He is the kind of God who whispers truth over you as He touches your face with great tenderness.
He is able to heal and bring to life what has faded and seemingly turned to ash around us. Oh friend, I don’t know where you are tonight or what the state of your soul is… I sure hope that you’re thriving as you live out of the abundance of your identity as a disciple of Jesus, but, if you’re not, may I speak over you the words Jesus spoke over this man? Would you take them as your own?
That ache deep down in your soul, the questions that feel like waves slapping up against your face as you struggle to stay above water, the words that you are using to define yourself by that are not meant for you… nothing about this is actually what you think it is.
You are here so that you might be a magnificent display of the glory of our Resurrected King!
This place you find yourself in was never meant to be your ending. This place is an opportunity you’ve been given to look into the face of the One kneeling in the dirt right there with you, and let Him wash over your soul. This place is where we embrace that every facet of our life as an occasion for the manifestation of God’s glory and His purposes- even in our suffering. This place is where we realized that it is not in spite of our weaknesses and brokenness, but because of our weakness and brokenness that He is up to something marvelous (something the world can look at and be dumbfounded!).
So, what’s the most beautiful part of the story of the man born blind?
After he was miraculously healed, and after the Pharisees grilled him repeatedly for information about Jesus, this beautifully mysterious Savior sought him out again. (The blind man never got to see Jesus after he was healed- he had only heard Him.)
“Do you believe in the Son of Man?” Jesus asks.
Fervently, the man begs for the answer to the question. Instead of telling him simply, “It is I.” Jesus responds in a way that acknowledges what is now a miraculous gift this man possesses- his sight. “You have seen Him. It is He who is speaking to you.”
And the man’s response is one I invite you, dear friend, to declare as your own confession: Lord, I believe!
Fellow disciple, we have been given purpose from before the beginning. The God who gave us this purpose knows us, seeks us out, and is infinitely worthy of our worship! Whether it’s with Him kneeling down in the dirt with us, or standing and gazing afresh into His face for what feels like the first time, your soul can rest there in His presence. Tonight, may our hearts be filled with wonder as we draw closer to Him- the One who makes the blind see.
Hugs!
Michayla
Whimsy & Wonder 