Oh I love how the Bible is one BIG story with lots of little stories inside. It’s kind of like a ‘picture’ of our lives.

One BIG life with lots of little stories sprinkled throughout. A compilation, I guess 🙂

Let’s look at the Man Born Blind story in John 9 – but SOOOO many things were going on inside of this one little story.
I won’t go into them all, but I wanted to mention The Blind Man’s Story.

He was born blind. That was his beginning.
Jesus said he was born blind so that God could be glorified in his blindness (boy, did he mean that at so many levels)

In one day, this blind man has two miracles occur in his life.
Jesus gives him sight. Wow. For the first time in his life, he can see. His eyes are opened to the beauties of the world around him. The faces of his mother and father, the blue of the sky, the food he’d eaten all his life. His entire place in society has changed too. He doesn’t have to be a beggar anymore – no longer lead a shameful existence as a nonproductive member of society. He has hope.
Jesus gives him sight. Wait, did I just say that? I meant it. Jesus gave the man sight twice. First physically, then spiritually.
We watch the man’s progression toward faith.

1. 1. Jesus initiated the healing. He put the putty on the man’s eyes and sent him to wash. He’s healed. When asked about his healing, the blind man says “The man they call Jesus” healed him.
   2. Later when asked, the man tells the Pharisees a ‘prophet’ healed him.
   3. When interrogated by the Pharisees a secondvtime, then cast out of the synagogue as a liar, Jesus comes to find the man. I LOVE that. Jesus had compassion on this man AGAIN, and seeks him out. Here is where the most amazing part of the story happens. The climax! Jesus reveals
      himself as the “Son of Man” to this blind man. In fact, Jesus says it like this:
      – “You have seen him.” Then the man falls at Jesus feet and calls him, “Lord”, because Jesus opened his spiritual eyes to the truth.

Isn’t that amazing? A full and beautiful short story.
Beginning, middle, end. Conflict. Characters. Villains. And all summed up in a
few words.

But what’s at the heart of the blind man’s story?

It’s the same truth that is at the heart of all of us who call Jesus “Lord”. It’s the same faith statement we all cling to. The same heart’s cry we all give.

It’s what spurned John Newton to pen the words to his classic hymn Amazing Grace.

Your story.

My story.

The blind man’s story.

“One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

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photo courtesy of http://www.gerhardy.id.au/lent4_08.htm