Passing By

August 15

(Luke 18:35-38 NIV) ““As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. {36} When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. {37} They told him, "Jesus of Nazareth is passing by." {38} He called out, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!””

(John 1:35-37 NIV) ““The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. {36} When he saw Jesus passing by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” {37} When the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus.”” 

As the blind beggar sat beside the road, he was a desperate man. He had none of the many support systems available today for people with handicaps. He was on his own. But then he heard a commotion and asked what was happening. Jesus was passing by. The blind man cried out for mercy. Before he asked for healing, he asked for mercy. That was a good decision. He took advantage of God’s nearness and summed up his need in a single sentence. Jesus is passing by today. The Lord is near. Will you cry out to Him? Can you sum up your need in a single sentence? Jesus doesn’t ask us to fully understand Him -- He asks us to fully stand under Him. That’s what the blind beggar did. He heard that Jesus was passing by, and cried out for mercy. He left his worldly possessions behind, and went to Jesus for healing. Have you? Will you? Jesus is passing by! -- Friar Tuck’s Word of the Day