Luke 18
From the picture you can tell what story peaks my interest today. But I could have written about any of Luke 18. Some days just every word of the Lord speaks out to us - I'm having one of those days. But I have picked the last story in Luke 18 : 35-42 to actually write about.
35 As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. 36 When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. 37 They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.”
38 He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
39 Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
40 Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, 41 “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
42 Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” 43 Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
We don't have to be blind to understand the need this man possessed. Maybe we are sick or broke or lonely or depressed or confused or worried or in a wilderness or or or. We all have something going on in our lives that just isn't perfect, maybe even terrible and it eats at our soul and pains us.
The key to this story is first figuring out where Jesus our Savior is located. So many times we put Him so far away in our minds that we can't imagine he can even see us. This just isn't so. The Holy Spirit is inside you - well that is if Jesus has become your Lord and Savior. Yep even believing this, knowing we are saved, we can still feel like Jesus can't see us. There are times when we think He has left our side and abandoned us. Of course these are lies - nothing more - we let the enemy deceive us. But the fact remains there are times when we can't sense the presence of God anywhere in our surroundings. So faith has to kick in - we have to know what we know and tell ourselves - He promises to never leave me or forsake me.
Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you." Deut. 31:6
I bet you can guess the second part - calling out to Him. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! How many times do we wallow around complaining, fretting, controlling (or trying to), getting angry, or just shut down? And how has that process worked out? Now how many times have we called out to Him? Not once or twice but continually called out to Him. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! Mine would go something like this:
Jesus, I don't feel you, I need you, I'm broken, hear my cry - come find me. I have sinned and not loved like I should or helped like I should. I've gotten angry and said things I shouldn't. Forgive me. But come - come restore my soul. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!
The beggar in our story is rebuked and told to be quiet - they didn't think this lost, poor man was worth Jesus' precious time. And we can learn from this man - HE CRIES OUT ALL THE MORE. Are you crying out all the more? Jesus Jesus JESUS
And our Savior doesn't need the beggar to cry out - he knows he is there, he knows what he needs, yet He asks him "What do you want me to do for you?" Relationship - our God is about relationship - talk to me child - tell me all about it - I'm here to listen, Jesus shows up. We have that comfort from the Gospels - Jesus shows up time after time after time. Why do we ever doubt - why do we think our problems, situations, desires can be bigger than our God!
And so we see Jesus heal the man and then - praises ring out from all who see and hear. Today I'm going to praise my Lord without the solution being in place yet. Because I know my redeemer lives and I can face anything - today, tomorrow, next month - because He is with me.
Lord I praise you for being who you are. The God of heaven and earth - the God of my soul. No matter where I am you see and know me. No matter how I feel or what I do, you see and know me. Praise you Lord for you are holy and perfect. You are my salvation and my light. Praise the name of the most high God.
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me
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