Blind Beggars

Luke 18:35-43
As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard a crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." Then he shouted, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Those who were in front sternly ordered him to be quiet; but he shouted even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stood still and ordered the man to be brought to him; and when he came near, he asked him, "What do you want me to do for you?" He said, "Lord, let me see again." Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has saved you." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him, glorifying God; and all the people, when they saw it, praised God.

The blind man in this passage sets a marvelous example for situation. “…a blind man was sitting beside the road begging.” This suggests to me our situation in regards to God. If we do not know God, we are blind. We cannot see the things of God. We cannot know God’s glory. We do not recognize God’s love. Yet, we are begging. We are wanting more out of life because within each of us is a spiritual vacuum that is waiting to be filled by God. We sit day by day in our darkness—begging—yearning wanting to fill the void within us.

At some point, there is a commotion inside of our spirit. We hear a song. We read a poem. We hear a preacher. We witness God working in someone else’s life. We are disturbed enough to ask the question, “What’s happening? What’s going on?” We learn that there is a man named Jesus. That he loves us. That he gave his life for us while we were yet sinners. Something within us comes alive. We realize that the void can be filled.

We shout “JESUS. SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!” He comes into our lives. We are reborn. The spiritual vacuum is filled with a love we never before imagined and life begins anew for us.

Like the blind man we are given new sight. We see a new world—one in which God’s Kingdom is now visible to us. We glorify God. We praise God. We begin to follow his Son—our Savior—Jesus Christ.

We have taken the first step of a journey that will last for eternity.

Have you taken that step or are you still sitting beside the road begging that the spiritual void be filled in your life?