And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Matthew 20:32 NAS95)
Jesus had a lot on His mind. On His way to Jerusalem, He engaged with His disciples about His upcoming death. You'd think he'd be self-focused, but He wasn't. On the road from Jericho, He had a large crowd following Him, so the noise had to be deafening, but He still heard. Two called out, "Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!" Jesus heard their voices and their words - words reminiscent of His reason for traveling to Jerusalem. He came for their sakes, our sakes, to fulfill the prophecies and give His life as a ransom. While blind, these two could perceive more about Jesus than meets the eyes. They expected His goodness.
As the good news touches our understanding of God, Jesus looked with love and asked these blind men one of His favorite questions: "What do you want me to do for you?" What a question! The God of the universe cares, and He cares about things that matter to us. He heard the prayer of the blind men and He gave them their sight! I find it amazing how the good news of Jesus coming really underscores fantastic news about God and His character. He loves and He desires to take our broken world and lives and make them aright: to restore them to the wholeness He's always intended. These blind men and their prayer encourage me to see God as He really is, as One who desires the best for His creation, including me. He hears. He sees. He loves. Jesus' heart reflected in His approach to people puts this on display for all to see.
For Reflection:
“They shall eagerly utter the memory of Your abundant goodness and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness.” (Psalms 145:7 NAS95)
- How has God shown His goodness to you in the past? What emotions arise as you recall these stories?
- What, if any, difficulties hinder you resting solidly in God’s goodness toward you?
