“He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.” (John 9:25)
This man was not thinking about a heart once stone now turned to flesh, his thoughts did not revolve around sins forgiven, grace given, a conscience clear of past evil deeds or being in the presence of joy forevermore. His life when he said these words did not focus on the One who had given him his sight or an unending love for Him, he knew a simple fact, once he was blind, but now he could see.
I could be mistaken here, my memory rarely serves me well, if I am, the same words were once applied to another if not him, but this man did not go seeking for the One who healed him, the Lord Jesus Christ sought and found him later.
“And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?” (Luke 17:17)
“And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” (John 5:40)
The danger has passed, the pain has abated, those thoughts of impending doom, of fear have faded away, we got what we wanted, we may have even offered praise and a “Thank You,” and then we go about our lives, back to the routine, back to the world.
Which would you rather do my friends, seek the face of God continually, or have Him come looking for you?
I’m going to presume the last part of that question placed a tinge of fear in you, perhaps some remorse or regret because of the memory of past actions in your life when prayers were answered and your praise was minimal at best, when the “Thank You” offered when the trial or tribulation was completed now seems so insufficient to the incredible mercy placed upon you.
“Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” (Psalm 147:1)
Nine did not return, they got what they wanted. In my imagination I see the one that did return follow Him, follow Him to the cross, follow Him the forty days after His resurrection, watched Him ascend up into the clouds, and then spend the rest of his life seeking to learn all he could of Him, seeking others to speak to them of His truths, giving no thought to his own life, but living solely for the glory of God.
“And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen.” (John 21:25)
How many followed Him even unto their own death, how many were satisfied with the physical healing and then went about their lives, and how many did the Lord track down and remind them of the blessings He had given to them?
How many times do we say, “Thank You” and then go about our business? How many times does He need to remind you, to track you down as it were and refresh your memory with the price that was paid for you, to remind you that there is only one path you are to be on, only one purpose in your life and it has nothing to do with the cares of this world?
My intention is not to bring guilty feelings into your thoughts here, if you have them, they are from you, not from these words, it is to remind you of the price that was paid for you.
All of us who have been born-again know those guilty emotions, of not serving enough, of not praising enough, of not being thankful enough, even of following the world and our own selfish desires at times, but that is what sets those apart who truly are seeking the face of God daily, nearly every moment, for His glory from what we could call the “average Christian.” Fewer things matter more to us than to be profitable servants, to live lives pleasing in His sight, to be continuously available to Him for His will, for His glory.
Once we were blind, now we see, the analogy is different for us than it was for that man at the moment, we see with Spiritual eyes, and what we have seen we never want to lose sight of.
