February 4, 2026 – Daily Devotional
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 simply wanted to see him as he passed through their community. Others followed him like a modern-day celebrity. Still, others sought Jesus because they wanted to hear his intimate religious knowledge. Often, when Jesus entered a community, he would encounter people who were eagerly waiting for him because they needed healing and had heard that he was capable of great miracles.
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’s 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. It was the gift of sight and the gift of a new life full of tremendous possibilities.
When I think about God and who God is, 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. These stories remind us that God is still at work in the world. God is compassionate and kind, and through His merciful actions, we see the light of love for all people.
It was mercy, grace, and love that opened the blind man’s eyes to once again see the light of this world. When we treat others with mercy, we too share the light of God’s love. Like Jesus, we are called to be a people of mercy, compassion, kindness, and love. As we see others in need, let us offer mercy, just as Jesus did.
–Rev. Keith King, Pastor of Worship
