Day 9: Now, I See.
“Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
Dear Child of Light,
Happy MLK Day! One of my favorite quotes from Dr. King comes from his letter from Birmingham Jail. Speaking of the interconnected nature of justice, he states, “In a real sense all life is inter-related. All men are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” I love this quote because it speaks to the concept of shalom. In Hebrew, shalom means peace, prosperity, wholeness, and well-being. It refers to a life in which our relationships with God, ourselves, and others work together in perfect harmony to reveal the glory of God. You see, sin doesn’t just harm our souls. It destroys our shalom—our ability to relate to the created order in healthy, life-giving ways. Therefore, as the redemption of Jesus heals our souls, it restores our shalom, allowing us to see creation and the creator through the lens of love. When our lives flow from this sight, we participate in God’s Kingdom of shalom by aligning with his vision for creation. In this reality, our intimacy with God is transformed from a self-focused relationship to a revelation that flows from our lives to illuminate the world around us. Since we’ve dwelt with the Light of the world, we now glimpse his glory in everything. Therefore, each moment becomes a sacred opportunity to experience intimacy with the father by embodying El Roi as we see our world through the eyes of Christ.
Charis & Shalom,
Siji
“Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”
John 9:19
I wonder what it must have been like for a man who had been in darkness for his entire life to open his eyes and see light in the world and the light of the world all at once. Did he feel delighted, overwhelmed, elated, confused? There was so much to discover, so much to learn. I imagine it was a bit like being reborn. There was reality that had existed around this man for his entire life but because he couldn’t see it, he couldn’t engage with it. That’s what it’s like to go from a place of surface level knowledge of God to a deep intimate relationship that is born out of a revelation of Jesus as Lord. It’s like being introduced to a world you’ve never encountered before. Therefore, it requires us to come to the father with the humble posture of a child. Imagine, that in ancient times, this man would have had to be dependent on others his whole life. Scripture mentions that he was a beggar and so he was likely seen as the lowest of the low in society. But when he suddenly gained his sight, he stood up to the Pharisees with the confidence of a king and the innocence of a child and declared the truth of his encounter, “I was blind, now I see”. No one could take that away from him. His posture was one of a man who’s entire reality had been transformed forever. Is that your posture before Jesus? Or are you like the Pharisees who are so arrogant in what they know, that they can’t see all that they’re missing. Intimacy with God requires you to come to God in humility and acknowledge your blindness so that the Light of the world can give you sight.
Reflection Question:
How do I see myself differently now than before I knew Christ?
How do I see God differently than before I became intimate with Christ?
How do I see others differently than before my eyes were opened by Christ?
Have you every truly acknowledged your blindness. If you don’t remember a time when you were blind how can you be sure you’re actually seeing?
Prayer Points:
Lord, help me to see you for who you really not what society, my disappointments, or my fear has made you out to be
Lord, search my heart, remove my pride, and reveal every area that I have been living blind to your truth and the implications it should have on my life.
Resources:
I’ve been listening to this song over and over and it brings me to tears every time. Is there a song that does that for you. I’d love to hear it. Share it in the comments.