“Jesus heard that they had cast him out, and having found him He said, ‘Do you believe in the Son of Man?’ He answered, ‘And who is He, sir, that I may believe in Him?’ Jesus said to him, ‘You have seen Him, and it is He who is speaking to you.’ He said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and He worshiped Him.”
(John 9:35-38 ESV)
I love the way Jesus comes looking for the man He healed in John 9. You may remember the story—how Jesus healed a blind beggar, and the religious leaders investigated, got angry when he defended Jesus, and excommunicated him.
At this point the man has lost pretty much everything except his eyesight—his old job as a beggar, his family’s support, and his “church home.” And then Jesus comes looking for him.
Oddly enough, Jesus doesn’t say a word about the trouble the man has suffered for His sake. He just starts out with, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” This is pretty much the same thing as asking, “Do you believe in the Messiah?”
Surely the man knew Jesus by His voice. And he isn’t bitter about what he’s suffered. He just asks eagerly, “Who is He, sir, so I can believe in Him?” Jesus’ word is good enough for him. So when Jesus tells him, “It’s Me,” the man worships Him and is gathered into God’s family as a believer.
Jesus doesn’t restore to him the things he’s lost. Instead, He gives him something better, the best thing He has to offer: Himself as Savior and Lord. And the man is happy. Who wouldn’t be? He has Jesus Himself, in all His love and concern, forever.
We Pray: Lord, thank You for finding me in my trouble too, and for giving Yourself into death to save me. Amen.
Reflection Questions:
* How do you deal with major loss in your life?
* What could you not live without?
* How does Jesus get you through loss?
Lenten Devotions were written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Originally published in The Lutheran Hour on March 13, 2025
Used by permission from International Lutheran Laymen’s League, all rights