Soul Scientist

John 9:1-11 tells us the story of the blind-from-birth beggar given sight by Jesus. Jesus chose to heal him by spitting onto soil and making mud for the blind man’s eyes. This method reflects how Jesus was present throughout creation, including when God formed Adam from the soil in Genesis 2:7. How appropriate and tender that Christ (the last Adam of 1 Corinthians 15:45) continued to bring light and life to man through spit and soil. Such hope! We can literally see a tangible reference to the truth we are but dust and that’s how God remembers our lives (Psalm 103:14).

Think on it that for a minute – Almighty Eternal Creator God cares enough to remember every one of us and every detail of our lives, including our every tear from pain, grief, or loss (see Psalm 56:8).

He is gracious and compassionate with our struggles.

He is present and caring in our suffering.

Jesus was there in the beginning. He was there with the blind man. He is here with us today. He will be there with us tomorrow and every day to come.

And in every bit of all of our lives, He never doesn’t know or forget or ignore our needs.

He provides. He sustains. He remains.

Choosing Christ and His plans for me requires a strength for today and hope for tomorrow found only in Christ. He gives the joy needed for both strength and hope as I choose to remain in Him.

Christ’s strength is almighty and made apparent when my strength is absent. He promises nothing is impossible with Him, no matter how long or far or dark or deep the suffering has forever changed my life.

There is no suffering greater than our Savior’s strength.

There is nothing impossible with our Immeasurable and Infinite God.

We are never without hope because we are never without Jesus.

This post was an excerpt from a series called “Count it all joy – you’ve got to be joking!” which I’ll be teaching on Wednesday nights at my church, West Jackson Baptist Church (580 Oil Well Road, Jackson, TN, 38305 – the room number is coming soon). This series focuses on how we can thrive in times of suffering. This series starts May 28th at 6pm. I’d LOVE for you to join me and bring a friend! If you’re unable to come in-person, the sessions will be recorded. If you’d like access to the recordings, please message me here on the blog. It would be my delight to share them with you.

John 9:1-11 NIV

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” Some claimed that he was. Others said, “No, he only looks like him.” But he himself insisted, “I am the man.” “How then were your eyes opened?” they asked. He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

written by and copyrighted to Beth Madison, Ph.D., 2025.