Scripture Reference: John 9:1-7
 
Once again I am writing this in the first person as if I am the blind man who encountered Jesus. Join me as I seek through this encounter to learn to know Jesus better.
 
I felt a bird once. My brother put it into my cupped hands. It struggled to escape and I felt the coarseness of its feathers, and its rough-leather legs… and then it broke free and was gone. I was born blind. I related to the world around me with feel, and taste, sound, and smell, but I didn’t know what colours were or the look in my mother’s eyes when she spoke to me.
 
My being blind meant I couldn’t earn a living so I resorted to begging on the busy streets of the city. One day I was standing holding out my begging bowl when some men stopped in front of me. I shook my little bowl and looked as pitiful as I could, but they didn’t put even one coin into it. Instead they started discussing me. If I hadn’t been on the streets for so many years I probably would have become angry, but by then I was so used to being ignored, I had become dispirited and a little calloused. The men were asking a man they called Jesus whether or not my condition was caused by my sin or the sins of my parents. Immediately my interest was stirred. I had heard of this man. He was said to be a great teacher and a worker of miracles. The religious leaders hated him but he was loved by the  ordinary people. Could he give me sight?! What a silly thought.
 
I heard his voice as he answered his disciples; “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.” What did he mean? Then I heard the sound of spitting on the ground and then a scraping. “What’s happening?” I asked, and voice spoke softly near my face; “He is forming two small balls of clay from the dirt.”  Then I felt the damp mud-balls being pressed into my eye sockets. My instinct was to pull away and wipe away the mud only I didn’t because I sensed something mysterious and wonderful was happening. Then I heard him speak again; “Go”, he said, “wash in the pool of Siloam”.
 
His voice, which I recognised to be that of Jesus, was so authoritative that it demanded immediate obedience. Although I couldn’t see where I was going I set off at as fast a pace I could, bumping into people as I went. One of the men who had been with Jesus ran up beside me and took my arm. “Come”, he said, “I will help you.”
 
It seemed like only a moment before he spoke again; “We are here. Kneel and wash your face.” I fell down on my knees and plunged my whole face into the water, rubbing vigorously at my sockets. But they were empty no longer! My fingers encountered plump flesh and… no, surely not… yes eyes! I pulled my head out of the water and looked out at a blur of faces. My vision cleared as the water ran down from my face and I saw dozens of people staring at me in shock and awe and amazement. I SAW them looking at me!
 
Now dear reader, what has Jesus revealed to you about Himself in this encounter? What have you learned about His nature and character?
 
‘Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.’ (1 Peter 1:8-9)