Charlotte Elliott wrote the song “Just as I am” in 1834, meditating on her feelings of inadequacy in approaching God. Through the song, she finally realizes that it is only in Jesus that we can approach God.
What do you bring to Jesus but a guilty conscience? What can you offer to Jesus but hands that are dirty with sin? A tongue that is filthy with sin? A mind that is polluted by sin? What can you bring to Jesus? But to come, just as you are and allow Him to make you better?
I want to superimpose the thoughts from this song onto the account of Jesus healing the blind man in John 9. Ms Elliot refers to being blind in this song and that led me to this miraculous healing by Jesus.
THE ONE PLEA I HAVE
In verses John 9:6-7, the man did what Jesus told him to do and he received his sight. It’s one of the few examples I know where someone received such a miraculous blessing without asking for it.
We do not deserve to be saved. We throw ourselves on the mercy of the court. When we come to Jesus, all of us must recognize that we have nothing to offer to Jesus in exchange for our salvation, except a heart willing to obey all that Jesus commands. That means our salvation is not dependent on our age, our educational level, our bank account level, our race, our nationality, nothing.
All we know, the only plea we have, is to come to the blood of Christ as He calls us to come to Him.
I AM NOT WAITING
To all of those who have not been immersed into Christ, yet, who have not put Christ on through baptism, yet, I ask: Why do you wait? How long are you going to carry your sin on your shoulders?
The blood of Christ can wipe us clean – every blot, every spot. What is it? Pride? Selfishness? Adultery? Murder? Abortion? Lying? Fornication? What is it? How long are you going to carry that sin on your shoulders? Why are you waiting?
Jesus performed the miracle on this man to show that He was the Son of God – John 9:3-5. Jesus rid him of the disadvantage of blindness.
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THO’ TOSSED ABOUT
Look at the growth of this blind man – vs 11 – “The man who is called Jesus.” Verse 17 – “He is a prophet.” He is “from God” – vs 33. There was conflict in this man’s mind and doubts and fears from the Jews. They threatened to kick out of the synagogue anyone who confessed the name of Jesus. But, when he was able to shut out of his mind the garble from the world, and focus on Jesus, his faith grew to the point that he did not care what the world said. He only cared what Jesus had done.
POOR, WRETCHED, BLIND
This man was blind and a beggar – John 9:8. Consider the words of Jesus in John 9:39 and 41. This man was blind, blind from birth. No doubt he was unemployed and therefore poor maybe even wretched. But he found what he needed; he found what was important in Jesus. He found the riches of faith (James 2:5) in Jesus Christ.
YOU WILL RECEIVE
Jesus stood back and allowed this blind man to grow in his faith. He did that by standing back, allowing the man to be challenged in his faith by remembering what Jesus had done for him. Most of the chapter is about this man’s “conflict” (or his parents’ conflict) with his neighbors and religious leaders.
So, Jesus went and found him in verse 35. Jesus welcomed him and relieved him of the burden of blindness. The man went on to believe in Jesus and, no doubt, received pardon and cleansing. Think about his reasoning in John 9:24-25.
THY LOVE UNKNOWN
In John 9:1, the man born blind did not know Jesus, had not even heard of Jesus, so far as we know. He did not ask to be healed. But he came into contact with Jesus and became a believer. Look at 9:28-33. The love of Jesus broke down the barrier of ignorance; it broke down the barrier of his parents wishy-washiness; it broke down the barrier of the Pharisees’ prejudice.
Come to Jesus just as you are and allow Him to make you better.
–Paul Holland
