I was one way, now I am another
Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.” John 9:9
Before I had a personal encounter with Jesus, I lived my life in a direction that was fear and survival based. I thought that if I wanted anything in life, I was going to have to struggle and fight for it just like the rest of the world did. I had no idea or concept of purpose or vision. I just lived day to day, living from one bad circumstance to the next. In a sense, I was blind to the plan and life God had designed for me to live. I was groping through life in the dark with no end or light in sight.
Then one day, I met Jesus. He opened my eyes to the truth of His love and the good news of His salvation. He rescued me from that life of deception and blindness. The scales fell off my eyes and I could see the light of the future shining in. Before I started walking in a personal relationship with Him, I was one way, but after I gave my life to Him, I am now another better way.
This same thing happened to the blind man that Jesus met in today’s reading. He was blind and begging for food to live another day. He was in a bad way, for sure. Those who saw the blind man thought they could figure out how he had gotten into that predicament. They thought he was born blind because of someone’s sin. It was his parents’ fault or his that he was there to begin with.
After the blind man had an encounter with Jesus that day, he was changed. Never more to sit begging in the streets just to have some food to eat. Now he was a completely different person that could begin to fulfill his mission in life. Now he would be able to help others and become a witness of the great works that Jesus did. He was one way with no hope in sight, but then he met Jesus and his life changed and turned in a totally different direction.
Today I want to encourage you to have an encounter with Jesus. If you have never entered into a personal relationship with Him, do that today. You can invite Him into your heart and into your life and when you meet Him on a personal level, your life will begin to have meaning and purpose. If you have already invited Him into your heart but have grown stale in your walk with Him, you can have a fresh encounter today. Reach out to Him with your heart and ask Him to help you back on the right track with Him. He will meet you where you are and put your feet back on solid ground. Your life can begin again to have purpose and you will walk in newness in your personal connection with Him. Pray this prayer today and Jesus will come into your life. Then you will be able to say: I was one way, but I met Jesus and now I am another way.
God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior. I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me. Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today. I know Your Son, Jesus died for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward. I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen
Today’s scripture reading: John 9:8-12
8 Therefore the neighbors and those who previously had seen that he was blind said, “Is not this he who sat and begged?”
9 Some said, “This is he.” Others said, “He is like him.” He said, “I am he.”
10 Therefore they said to him, “How were your eyes opened?”
11 He answered and said, “A Man called Jesus made clay and anointed my eyes and said to me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash.’ So I went and washed, and I received sight.”
12 Then they said to him, “Where is He?” He said, “I do not know.”
The Daily Dose 