46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
Big View: Person of Peace
Small View: Perception – Power – Proclamation
Kevin Murphy
Saint Matthew Lutheran Church – Walnut Creek CA
Observation: We can observe that God is merciful. We so often speak of “grace – God’s unmerited favor” which outdistances anything we can do to earn it. But God’s “mercy – favor when we had no real expectation of God’s goodness” seems to be the operative word in today’s bankrupt spiritual climate. Grace is a gift for those who realize they can’t earn it. Mercy is God’s gift to those who don’t even care or are apathetic.
Action: “Lord, have mercy upon us.” A discounted and reviled blind man receives mercy and his sight. Thank you, Lord! So can we.
That grace is for us all, all we need to do is ask and we shall receive.