“Have Mercy On Me, Lord Jesus Christ!”

“Have Mercy On Me, Lord Jesus Christ!”
Two blind men called out to Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus asked to know if they believed he could do it, and they replied in the affirmative. Jesus touched their eyes and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, ‘See that no-one knows about this.’ But they went out and spread the news about him all over that region.”
Soon after this incident of the sight restoration, Jesus drove out a demon from a man who was demon-possesed and couldn’t talk, and the man spoke. We are told “the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.’
We can confidently conclude that Jesus gave the blind men what they did not ask for. It is a polite way for blind beggers to tell passers by, “please help…etc.” We may ask, “Were they asking Jesus for alms or for restoration of sight? When Jesus asked them whether they believed he was able to do what they asked, was he talking about giving them alms or giving them sight?”
These two incidences above are a fulfilment of prophecy. It had been prophesied that, “In that day the deaf will hear the words of the scroll, and out of the gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind will see…”(Is.29:18ff,& 35:5).
It is clear that Jesus gave them what they did not ask if we go by the text. There is however a polite way of asking for a favour without blandly stating the exact need.
When the dumb demon-possessed spoke he surely could hear as well because the dumb are always deaf and the deaf are always dumb.
The second take home is that oftentimes the publicity we make for what the Lord has done for us or through us becomes a disservice to him. When we tell the world what he has done it becomes disobedience to the “stern warning”, “See that no-one knows about this.” We know of course that it is in human nature to want to let the world know of the good things that have happened to us. This is exemplified even more in the crowd that was amazed because such a thing had never happened in Israel! They surely did not only say it, but went about to spread the word.
Lastly are the detractors, the Pharisees who said, “it is by the prince of demons that he drives out demons”(Mtt.9:27-38).
My friend, all around us are “harrassed and helpless” people – just like the blind men and the dumb demon-possessed – who like sheep without shepherd need the compassion of Jesus! He is ready to show his compassion, but he needs you and I to bring in the harvest from the field!
And you too my other friend, Christ is ready to give you more than you ask, but be polite to request of him: “Have mercy on me, Lord!”
Sunday prayer: Lord Jesus Christ heal us of spiritual blindness so that we can see and speak of things of the Spirit. Amen!
Have a blessed Sunday! Peace be with you!