Lord, Have Mercy On Us!

By Josie Siler

Here in the United States, everybody’s getting ready for Thanksgiving. People are starting to bake and cook, and a month of daily thankfulness has been spreading all over Facebook. If you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving this year, there’s a good chance you’re preparing to celebrate something. It seems like all over the world this time of year is a time for celebrations!

There are a lot of emotions involved with special holidays and celebrations. There’s the anticipation and excitement for what’s to come; there’s business and preparations and lists to be checked off; there’s dread of what we may not be able to do; there’s worry that we will miss out on something, and ultimately, there’s the fear that we will be forgotten…that festivities will happen without us and no one will miss us or notice we aren’t there.

Have you ever felt like that? If you have, keep reading because I have great news! In Matthew 20:29-34 (ESV) we read the account of Jesus working His way to Jerusalem.

And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed Him. And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed Him.

While walking to Jerusalem, Jesus must have had a lot on His mind. The big Passover Feast was coming and He knew that His death was rapidly approaching. As He walked, He was surrounded not only by His friends and followers, but by a great crowd of people. The mother of the sons of Zebedee had just asked Him if her sons could sit at His right and left in the Kingdom. Jesus had to, yet again, explain that in order to be great we must serve each other.

As Jesus walked, everyone would have wanted His attention. People would have been pushing to get close to Him and shouting for Him to hear them. I get sensory overload just thinking about it! Then, out of the crowd He hears it, those two voices.

“Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

The crowd tries to shush them but they scream louder.

“Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!”

Jesus stops. He calls to them. “What do you want me to do for you?”

The crowd begins to quiet as they watch Jesus. He has taken interest in the two blind men.

In softer voices the men plead, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.”

Jesus takes pity on them and immediately they are well. They can see, and they begin to follow Jesus.

Did you recoil at the word “pity?” You don’t have to; the word is defined as “a feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the sufferings of others.[1] When Jesus saw those two men and heard their cries for help, He felt sorrow and compassion on them because of what they were suffering. Even with all the other things going on around Him, even knowing what awaited Him in Jerusalem, He took time to stop and bring healing.

Jesus is NEVER too busy for us. Jesus will NEVER forget us. Jesus will ALWAYS have compassion on us and feel sorrow over the things we suffer. He loves you more than you can ever comprehend. This holiday season, no matter what else is going on around you, no matter who does or says hurtful things, no matter who doesn’t understand – Jesus loves you and He understands. Cry out to Him and allow Him to bring healing into your situation.

© November 27, 2013


[1] Soanes, C., & Stevenson, A. (2004). Concise Oxford English dictionary. Oxford: Oxford University Press.