Spend time in prayer and silence with God asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.
Bible Reading
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. Now the day on which Jesus made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. Therefore, the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided. Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about Him?” It was your eyes He opened.” The man replied, “He is a prophet.” A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.” He replied, “Whether He is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see.” Then they asked him, “What did He do to you? How did He open your eyes?” He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become His disciples too?” Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where He comes from.” The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where He comes from, yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does His will. Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.
– John 9:13-17, 24-34
Devotion
The Pharisees were determined to discredit Jesus’ words and deeds. They thought they would be able to confuse and use a simple man into saying something they could use to accuse Jesus. Instead, this simple man’s testimony and logic turn the tables on the Pharisees.
The Big Question
The real “blindness” that Jesus emphasizes here is spiritual blindness. The religious leaders were blind to the truth that we are all guilty before God. “There are none that are righteous…not even one.” The Pharisees thought they were made righteous before God by keeping all their laws. They did not recognize their own need for God’s forgiveness and reconciliation. Have you recognized your need for God’s forgiveness? Have you opened your heart to the words of Jesus? Are you truly one of His disciples?
Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.