The Power of Our Faith
Scripture Reading: Luke 18:35-43
Key Verse: Luke 18:42
And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.”
Jesus and the disciples where heading to Jerusalem so that all the predictions of the prophets concerning Him would come true (Luke 18:31-34).
As they were approaching the town of Jericho, on their way to Jerusalem, a blind beggar was sitting outside the town. He heard all the excitement of the crowd and started asking what was going on. Those around him told him that it was Jesus that was passing by. This blind man started yelling for Jesus’s attention, and even though he was told by those around him to stop yelling, he yelled even more.
I believe this is our clue to why Jesus told Him that “his faith had healed him” (Luke 18:42). This blind man had just enough faith in Jesus’s power to heal his blindness that he refused to stop calling after him. Jesus did hear him and had him brought over. After Jesus asked him what He wanted, Jesus honored his request, and this blind beggar could see again.
We see faith demonstrated throughout the New Testament as Jesus performed His many miracles. Of the recorded miracles, most of them noted a person’s faith and all of them were dependent on a person’s faith, even if it wasn’t noted. As the Hebrew writer proclaimed: “And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).
This blind beggar wanted to get to Jesus and sincerely sought Him with his refusal to stop yelling to get Jesus’s attention. It was this kind of faith that brought the miracle to this blind beggar. After receiving this miracle from Jesus, he did exactly what we would expect him to do. He followed Jesus, praising God for having mercy on him.
Have you ever sought Jesus for a miracle in a similar fashion as this guy did? Maybe you didn’t “yell”, but you just wouldn’t stop asking God to do for you what no one else could do. Of course, it is true that at times God deems to not give us what we want, and we must trust His wisdom. However, the Apostle James reminds us that sometimes we have not because we ask not (James 4:2).
Let’s not ever stop believing in miracles, both small and large ones. We serve a big God who loves to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11). Seek God with a sincere heart asking for what you need. Show God that you have faith in His mighty power. Close all your prayers with the statement of faith in His wisdom, as well: “not my will but your will be done.”
Father, I believe in your love for me and your desire to give me good gifts. I am grateful that you’re wise enough to know when “no” is the best answer for me! I pray all this in Jesus’s Name, amen.