A Prayer God Always Hears and Answers!

“He called out, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’”
Luke 18:38 (NIV)

Matthew, Mark, and Luke record one of the most tender and thrilling miracles of Jesus healing two blind beggars, but Luke introduces us to just one of the two men. Mark’s gospel tells us his name was Bartimaeus. When Jesus came to Jericho, Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Luke 18:38 (NIV). This poor, blind beggar was sitting at the entrance to the city when he heard a commotion among the crowds. When he asked what was going on, they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.  That was all he needed to know! This was his opportunity, and he was determined not to miss it! He must have heard about the miracles Jesus had performed. The fact that he cried out, “… Jesus, Son of David….” indicates that he recognized Jesus as the Messiah who was to come. He knew Isaiah’s prophecy about the coming Messiah in Isaiah 35:5 (NLT) that predicted, “And when He comes, He will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf.”  He may have even heard about what Jesus said in His hometown synagogue in Nazareth when He proclaimed, “The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free.” Luke 4:18 (NIV),

Whatever the case, Bartimaeus believed that Jesus could give sight to the blind, so he cried out in a loud voice, “… Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  The crowds around him told him to be quiet. He was an embarrassment to them. But that wouldn’t stop this man. You can’t read this narrative without feeling the tenderness of Jesus toward him. Luke records it in verses 39 through 43: “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!’ Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to Him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want Me to do for you?’ ‘Lord, I want to see,’ he replied. Jesus said to him, ‘Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.”

In his day, blindness was a common affliction for which there was no cure.  The only means he had to sustain himself was to beg for a living. In spite of his obstacles and the opposition of the crowds, Bartimaeus persisted in crying out for one thing – MERCY!  He wasn’t ashamed to plead for mercy.

I wonder how many there were who could see Jesus physically but didn’t have the spiritual insight of this blind man? Many of us are blind to our own need for mercy. Yet, the truth is, we all need mercy. When was the last time you came before Jesus like this blind man and cried out, “Lord, have mercy on me!”  This is the sinner’s prayer. It’s a prayer that Jesus always responds to.

Earlier in this same chapter, Jesus told the story of a tax collector who cried out, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” (Verse 13). Jesus said this tax collector felt too ashamed to even enter the Temple when he came to pray, but stood at a distance. He wouldn’t even look up to heaven but beat his breast in anguish when he pled for mercy.  His prayer was heard. He went home justified, just as this blind beggar left seeing! God always hears our cry for mercy. He’s just waiting for us to ask.

Like blind Bartimaeus and the repentant tax collector, we must see Jesus for who He truly is as revealed in all 66 Books of the Bible. Let me share again with you what I shared last weekend.

“In Genesis, Jesus is the light of the world, the creator of all things. In Exodus, He’s the Passover lamb that delivers His children. In Leviticus, He is the high priest that bridges the gap between God and man. In Numbers, He is the cloud in the fire that leads the people through the desert. In Deuteronomy, He’s the prevailing prophet. In Joshua, He’s the captain of our salvation. In Judges, He’s the great judge of both the living and the dead. In Ruth, He’s the kinsman redeemer that redeems the lost and the lonely. In 1 and 2 Samuel, He’s the voice of truth in the middle of the night. In 1 and 2 Kings, He’s the one true king. In 1 and 2 Chronicles, He is the holy one. In Ezra, He’s the faithful one. In Nehemiah, He’s the rebuilder of broken walls. In Esther, He’s the rescuer in time of need. In Job, He’s the restorer of all things, the maker of all things new. In Psalms, He is the Good Shepherd. In Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, He’s the wisdom of God. In the Song of Solomon, He’s the banner of unconditional love that is over you and me. In Isaiah, He is the suffering servant. In Jeremiah and Lamentations, He’s the God whose heart breaks for us. In Ezekiel, He’s the resurrection and the life to dry bones. In Daniel, He’s the son of man coming in the clouds. In Hosea, He’s the bridegroom who never stops loving. In Joel, He’s the salvation for all. In Amos, He’s the burden bearer and the load lifter. In Obadiah, He’s the mighty savior. In Jonah, He’s the God of the second chance. In Micah, He’s the messenger of good news. In Nahum, the restorer of justice. In Habakkuk, the interceder for the broken. In Zephaniah, He is the strength for the weak and the helpless. In Haggai, He’s the cleansing fountain. In Zechariah, He is the pure son of God. In Malachi, He’s the son of righteousness with healing in His wings.

In Matthew, He’s the Messiah and friend of sinners. In Mark, He’s the miracle worker. In Luke, He’s the son of man. In John, He’s the son of God. In Acts, He’s the power of God. In Romans, He’s the gift of salvation. In 1 and 2 Corinthians, He’s the last Adam who reverses all wrongs. In Galatians, He is all freedom. In Ephesians, He’s the cornerstone that the builders rejected. But now, He is the chief cornerstone in which all life is built. In Philippians, He’s the name above all names, who meets our every need. In Colossians, He’s the fullness of God, the hope of glory. In 1 and 2 Thessalonians, He’s the peace of God. In 1 and 2 Timothy, He’s the great mediator between God and man. In Titus, He’s our blessed hope. In Philemon, He’s the friend that sticks closer than any brother. In Hebrews, He’s the blood that washes away all sin. In James, He’s the great physician. In 1 and 2 Peter, He’s the Great Shepherd. In 1, 2, and 3 John, He is everlasting love. In Jude, He is the God who saves us. And of course, in Revelation, He’s the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last, the lion of Judah, the King of Kings, and the Lord of Lords!”

Have you met this Jesus?

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To read this devotional online or catch up on past ones, visit https://kerryshook.org/blog.

Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.

Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.