John 9:35-38

True Vision and True Blindness

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when He had found him, He said to him, “Do you believe in the Son of God?”

³⁶ He answered and said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe in Him?”

³⁷ And Jesus said to him, “You have both seen Him and it is He who is talking with you.”

³⁸ Then he said, “Lord, I believe!” And he worshiped Him.

Luke 15:4 The Parable of the Lost Sheep

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 

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After Jesus healed Bartimaeus the Pharisees excommunicated him after hearing his testimony about the miracle of receiving his sight.His cowardly parents, looking to maintain their place in the synagogue and avoid embarrassment, gave the Pharisees consent to question him.

For all their reviling, Bartimaeus didn’t waver in his answer, and indeed, countered them with a question of his own, which prompted his being cut off.

Jesus, learning of the excommunication, went looking for him.

Let’s be clear that Jesus didn’t have to do that. As far as Bartimaeus was concerned, his business with Jesus was finished. As far as Jesus was concerned, there was more to do, and it’s probably why He lingered long enough to do what followed.

He freed Bartimaeus from the bondage of legalism, and the healed man happily, gratefully professed his faith in the Son of God.

Jesus, our Good Shepherd, and the light of the world, will always look for us and replace our spiritual darkness with his holy light, leading us on the narrow path to our salvation and eternal life.

Let us, like Bartimaeus, gladly profess our faith in Him once more, even daily, or as many times as we feel we’re straying from the path and out of the light. We know when we are, because the Spirit warns us, and if we rebel, it convicts us to bring us back to the flock to be washed by the blood of the Lamb.

Let’s adhere to the Word and abide in the Savior before He returns as the Lion.

Let’s give Him thanks for His sacrifice, granting to us the Father’s mercy instead of His wrath, and continue to walk in the light, and work while it is yet day. He tells us when the night comes, no one can work.

Therefore I pray:

Lord Jesus,

Today I ask You to open my spiritual eyes to discern the Father’s will for my life, and to walk in its purpose while it is yet light and the bridegroom is far off.

Heal my wretched flesh of rebellion, then place a guard over my mouth to stop justifying the evil I’ve done in the sight of all Heaven.

Grant me grace once more, to withstand the temptation of popularity, or falling into false teaching that doesn’t align with Your holy work.

Free me from my sins, and replace my weak and wretched will with Yours, that I may remain spotless and blameless before Almighty God, speaking in truth in love, and truth to power, and truth to my own heart.

And once again, O Lord, I gladly profess my faith out in the open.

Lord, I believe!

Amen