“And Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God.” –Luke 18:42-43
As Jesus went from village to village, he encountered so many unique people. Some of the people he encountered simply wished to see him as he passed through their community. They followed him like a modern-day celebrity. Others sought after Jesus because they wanted to hear his intimate religious knowledge. They knew he was a great teacher. Often, when Jesus entered a community, he would encounter people who were eagerly waiting on him because they needed healing. They had heard that Jesus was capable of incredible miracles. He brought hope with him as he traveled from place to place.
That is what happened on the road leading into Jericho. A blind man was sitting along the road. He had heard that Jesus was passing by, so he called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” The blind man was persistent and caught Jesus’ attention. Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The man wanted desperately to see. Luke tells us that Jesus offered mercy that day and gave the blind man sight.
When this former blind man received the mercy he desired, he “Immediately” began to follow Jesus while giving thanks to God for His wonderful gift. Far more than the gift of sight, Jesus offered the gift of a new life, full of tremendous possibilities.
When I think about God, I often focus on the stories of mercy that are found throughout the scriptures. Mercy is the heart of God. We see Jesus offer mercy repeatedly. It is mercy that gave the blind man reason to give thanks to God. It is the mercy that we have received from God that allows us the strength and courage to follow Jesus, as well. In those moments of life that we find ourselves hopeless, lost, hurting, and struggling, it is mercy that lifts us beyond our current circumstances. God forgives. God restores. God brings healing. God offers abundant mercy. God is compassionate, gracious, and merciful. There is no one like our God who is worthy of our love and gratitude.
–Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
