From Blindness and Begging to Worship

“Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (John 9:35).

John 9 gives us the history of a soul passing from poverty and darkness into being a worshiper of the Son of God. Being a worshiper is one of the highest aspects of blessing any soul can know. It means you are more than satisfied, and are delighting in One outside yourself. Being forgiven of your sins is a wonderful blessing (1 Timothy 2:4), but that is not the end of God’s desires for you. God’s ultimate path of blessing for you is that you may be found a worshiper in His presence for evermore.

“As Jesus passed by, He saw a man which was blind from his birth” (John 9:1). There is not a soul that has a longing, a want, or a desire, that Jesus does not see. Jesus knows, Jesus sees, and more, He feels. The One who could call worlds into existence at the bidding of His word, had time to address Himself to the necessity of this poor beggar!

Oh, what a glorious Savior! If you cannot see any glory in the Son of God occupying Himself with the necessities of a poor beggar, you must be more blind than this poor man was. You may say you are not a poor, blind beggar—that you are rich, and can have anything you want. Friend, if your soul is not saved, if you do not know Jesus, you are nothing but a poor, blind beggar.

Jesus “said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam … he went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing” (John 9:7). Notice the extreme simplicity of it all. Satan tries to deprive souls of the simplicity of the Gospel. Here it was just one statement on the Savior’s part, and one action on the sinner’s part. The word spoken by Jesus went right down into the very depths of his soul, and he acted on the word of the Lord. Isn’t that simple? If you take Christ at His word, your soul will be brought into blessing. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36).

“The Jews had agreed already, that if any man did confess that [Jesus] was Christ, he should be put out of the synagogue” (John 9:22). Now the enmity of the Pharisees is seen. What a picture of the heart of man in his natural state! Nothing so hinders and withers up God’s work in the soul, as does our bondage to other people’s opinions. You may be afraid of what your friends and family will say if you decide to follow Christ. But no one else will stand for you in the day of judgment; you will be alone before God. If He has spoken to your heart, you must let nothing hinder you from following Him!

“Jesus … said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” (John 9:35). What was the man’s answer? “Lord, I believe. And he worshiped Him” (John 9:38). He had found an Object on which his heart could rest forever. What then was the only thing he could do? Worship! Have you ever reached such a state? Do you know what it is to be at the feet of Jesus, not being able to ask for anything, but only delighting yourself in the sense of who He is, and saying, “Thou art worthy” (Revelation 4:11)? May God in His mercy bless His word, and make Christ precious to you, for His name’s sake.

—Adapted from The Remembrancer