Have mercy.

“And as [Jesus and His disciples] went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him.”

(Matthew 20:29-34 ESV)

A quick thought this afternoon:

In this brief story, Jesus, His disciples, and the crowd following Him passed two blind beggars on the roadside. When these two men heard Who was coming, they knew they had one chance to ask Him for help.

Notice three things about what they said:

• “Lord” – This word indicates submission. They recognized Jesus was a figure of authority and power, and they approached Him with respect.
• “Have mercy on us” – This phrase showed they knew they needed help. They realized they needed not just Jesus’ assistance, but His mercy. They appealed to His compassion, because they recognized their position of need.
• “Son of David” – More than an indication of mere lineage, this phrase is fraught with meaning to a Jew in the 1st century. It may well be that these men, physically blind as they were, had been given spiritual understanding of who Jesus *was*– the promised Messiah, the descendant of David, who would bring about the Kingdom of God.

Though others tried to silence their cry for help, they called out to the one person whom they believed could cure them. When Jesus responds, they make a bold request: “Let our eyes be opened.” They asked Jesus for miraculous healing because they knew He could do it. Jesus takes pity on them, touches them (an unnecessary step but an intentional one), and heals them. They respond by immediately following Him.

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Something to think about today: Sometimes, the best prayer we can pray is one of submission to the lordship of Jesus, recognition of our need, and belief in who Jesus is, as revealed by the Scriptures. It doesn’t have to be eloquent, well-thought-out, or wordy. The desperate prayer of honest need and simple faith is enough to get the attention of our compassionate Savior and ardent Intercessor. No matter your need, He does not tire of hearing His beloved friends call out to Him, nor of responding to their prayers with His perfect grace and mercy.