Being Persistent

There he was, sitting by the side of the road begging for alms. The chatter of voices and the sound of shuffled feet as people went about their business were all familiar to him, the occasional coin dropping into his outstretched hand. It seemed like just another day in his life. Then he heard more voices coming in his direction, voices that got louder with each step. There was a buzz, an excitement in the crowd that he had not sensed or heard before. It could only mean one thing - someone of note was passing through Jericho. Luke tells us, "And hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by" (Luke 18:36,27). Suddenly, nothing else mattered. He had heard about Jesus and the many things He had done. What must have seemed like a million thought raced through his mind. If Jesus was who He said He was, this day could be life-changing. If He could get His attention and plead for His mercy, his blindness could be a thing of the past.

By this time the crowd was much closer. He shuffled himself and despite the noise he cried out, "Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (v.38). Being a blind beggar did not earn him any sympathy from the crowd. To them he was just wretched and miserable, probably blind as a result of his sins or that of his parents (see John 9:1-2). They rebuked him that he should hold his peace but "he cried so much the more, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me" (v.39). This time not only was his cry more earnest and filled with greater intensity, but he reaffirmed his recognition of who Jesus was. "Thou son of David" was the acknowledgment that Jesus was the Messiah, and so he was not calling out to Jesus out of ignorance but with a conviction that based on the teachings of the Torah and the rabbis, the Messiah could bring him deliverance. The crowd could say all it wanted, the only thing he knew was that he had a need that nobody but Jesus could satisfy and he was going to do whatever it took to get His attention.

How many times have we allowed "the crowd" and our lack of faith to silence us? If we are convinced of who Jesus is, then in our moments of greatest need we should be persistent in our prayers. Calling out to Jesus is not a problem for Him. Yes, there are millions of people calling Him at any given time but it is important to note that amidst the noise and the objections of the crowd, He heard the cry of the beggar. Not only did He hear him but He "stood, and commanded him to be brought unto Him: and when he was come near, He asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I shall do unto thee?" Right there and then, he got Jesus' undivided attention. Luke continues, "And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God" (vv. 41b-43).

The keys to his breakthrough were his persistence and his faith in Jesus as the Messiah who could do all the things that were written of Him in the Scriptures. Do you know Him like that? If so, keep on calling until you get your answer. What He did for that beggar, He is still doing today.