And those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Luke 18:39 ESV
As Jesus was walking towards Jericho, a blind man sitting by the roadside heard the sound of the crowd surrounding Jesus. “What’s happening?” he asked a group of bystanders. “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by,” they replied. Apparently, he’d heard the stories of Jesus healing the sick and knew this was his moment. “Son of David,” he cried out, “have mercy on me!” Those who were in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
“They rebuked him.” Can you relate to this man’s predicament? He had a genuine need, yet those around him tried to shush him. What holds true back then still holds true today. There will always be some who try to silence you. Others may minimize your need. A few might even ostracize you. Push past the critics, the cynics, and the naysayers. Keep calling out to Jesus, regardless of those voices that try to tell you your struggle isn’t important to God. Keep praying until you hear Jesus’ voice say, “What do you want me to do for you?”
Prayer: Lord, I thank you that your ear is not too dull to hear nor your arm too short to save. Even amid the noise of the crowd, you hear my feeble cries. Help me push past the obstacles the enemy might dredge up and persist in prayer until I hear your voice saying, “I hear you, my child. What do you want me to do for you?”
Thought: “The value of persistent prayer is not that God will hear us, but that we will finally hear God. William McGill.