Today’s devotional from Jason begins with scripture:
Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
"Be quiet!" the people in front yelled at him.
But he only shouted louder, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?"
"Lord," he said, "I want to see!"
And Jesus said, "All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you." Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.
This passage of scripture was one of David’s favorite passages to read. David was one of the youth I worked with in Johnson, AR. During one of our Bible study times we were going through this passage and he came and told me how much he loved this story. He said, "I like how no matter how much people kept the blind man from Jesus and tried to shut him up from yelling for help, he just kept on. He only shouted louder for help." David told me that was how he felt most of the time. Like he was constantly yelling for help and no one ever tried to help him. He said that he was the blind man realizing that Jesus was walking by and there was his answer to his blindness.
I will never forget that after this class, David walked up to the front of the auditorium and said that he was tired of feeling spiritually blind. He was tired of feeling like someone walking around with no direction and no hope. He knew the man to yell for and he was going to start shouting louder and louder for Jesus’ help. He rededicated his life to Christ that morning. That was almost 10 years ago now. I was reminded of this because I received an email from David a few weeks ago asking me if I would help him in his youth ministry. He and a few of my old teens, who are now twenty-something with kids of their own, have taken it upon themselves to work with the youth ministry there at Johnson, and are doing a wonderful job. David is developing their ministry goals and strategies, and he wants me to help him. We talked about that “Come to Jesus” moment 10 years ago, and I let him know how much he changed my life just by watching the transforming power of Jesus in his life.
The blind beggar and his amazing faith is one example of a God follower, but David and his outrageous passion for Jesus are another example of how Christ wants to change our lives. I told David that I wanted to be like him when I grow up. I told him that I was so proud of him and am so thankful that God placed him in my life. I have so many other stories of people like David who have been placed in my life that have helped this blind beggar to see, by pointing me to Jesus. What do you want? Jesus asks us. I want to see! Keep calling out! He’s waiting!
Jason
