2026 Lent Devotions
Saturday, March 14
John 9:35-41
35 Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” 37 Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” 38 He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. 39 Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment, so that those who do not see may see and those who do see may become blind.” 40 Some of the Pharisees who were with him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” 41 Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.”
“… 38 He said, “Lord, I believe.” …”
From blindness to belief, this day has been epic for the man born blind. O how I wish it was so rapid for the rest of us. Typically, it takes a lifetime to truly come to believe in Jesus as the Son of Man. While we may profess our faith, coming to that perfect faith in Him is a life-long journey.
When I was a youngster, I believed in Jesus; but only after years of following do I really consider myself a true believer. It’s not that I didn’t seek to know the Lord better. It’s just that, as we mature in age, we also mature in faith. We come to see and understand the Lord in a more profound way. We learn that our initial belief was not wrong, just incomplete. We also come to the realization that only when we stand face to face with the Lord in the kingdom to come will we truly know Him.
That’s why faith is a journey – made within the community of believers. Through others, we come to know the Lord better. Through them, we are guided and directed along the journey. Through them, we discover the power and presence of Jesus. Through them we realized the depth of Christ’s love for each of us. Our journey of faith relies completely on the community of believers who surround and embrace us.
“Lord, I believe!” is a simple statement of faith that begins a journey – a communal journey – which lasts our whole life through …..and beyond.
Prayer: Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief. Lead me this day and always by your grace that I may, at the last, arrive fully in Your loving arms. Amen.