Word for the day by Christian Education Forum
Jesus Christ Who Stops at Human Cries
Scripture Portion: Romans 8:26-30
“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express”. (vs 26b)
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Devotion
“We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express”. (vs 26b)
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Devotion
Today’s text deals with life lived under the influence of the Spirit. This is a theme Paul deals with in Romans and also in his other letters. A spirit filled life leads us from fear to courage, weakness to strength, slavery to freedom, cry to laughter and from despair to hope. Through Jesus Christ we have been granted the privilege of calling God ‘Abba’ Father. In verse 28 of today’s text, we read that “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose”. Our God is a compassionate God, who keep record of our cries and tears. In Exodus chapter 3 verse 7 we see a God who came down to rescue His people. “And the Lord said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows.” We serve a God who sees our tears and hear our cries and take appropriate action at His time.
Throughout Jesus Christ’s ministry on this earth and till today we can see a living Christ who stops at human cries. When His children cry- out He hears and respond. Jesus often stopped for the unlikely. Jesus would stop for ones whom His own disciples did not think He would stop for. Prayer is the medium via we cry out to Jesus Christ, our Savior. Is Prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? Jesus always had time for those who called on him. Even on his way to Calvery he stopped to connect with the disconnected. There are many instances where Jesus stops at human cries. For example, in Mark chapter 10 verses 46 to 52 we see that the cry and plea of Bartimaeus never went unheard even in the market place. In fact, the crowd and the disciples were hindrances to the blind man and his cry for help reaching to Jesus Christ. As believers where are we? Are we creating hindrance or paving the way for a less fortunate person to find the help he or she needs. The blind man shouted/cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (vs.47b). The Son of Man stood to counter the man- made barriers that prevented the blind man from reaching him. It was the helpless cry of Faith that moved Jesus to heal Bartimaeus. In the same way when you and I cry out to our Savior he stops and listen and take action.
When Bartimaeus was challenged by forces that prevented him from reaching out to his master he cried out loudly. What about us? Do we stop at the first obstacle that prevents us from reaching out to our master, or do we cry out even louder. It was Bartimaeus’ prayer for deliverance from his state of blindness to a renewed life. Worldly rituals or barriers have pushed him out of the mainstream and he had no one to rely on other than his dirty cloak. When things get hard, we need to take bold steps and it was through his prayer in the form of shout or cry that he poured out his pain and suffering to the master.
“Jesus stopped and said call him”. When he heard that Jesus was calling him, immediately he threw his cloak aside and jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. We serve a living Christ who stops and converse with us. We all have experienced this one time or other during our time. In verse 51 we see that “What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him.” Bartimaeus without hesitation replied, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go, said Jesus, your faith has healed you”. We should choose to ignore those who would attempt to silence us. We must refuse to be silenced by the religious majority that would say that our cry is too loud, too passionate, perhaps too irreverent. We must be focused on Jesus to whom we are crying out to and determined to ignore the crowd. We must cry out even louder for our generation and surely Jesus will stop for us; in fact, Jesus is already stopping and calling us.
Jesus stopped and called Bartimaeus through His disciples thus enforcing them with new insight which they lacked. Let this Lent season be a time to realize the importance of prayer in our lives to cast away our sense of pride and false security. Bartimaeus was healed, his external vision gave the new internal vision and a sense of direction for a new mission to follow Jesus Christ to the cross. When you hear the voice of Jesus calling you, it no longer matters who tried to silence you. His voice permeates through the crowd. I will conclude this devotion with a reminder about the living hope that soon a day will come when Jesus Chris will wipe every tear from our eyes as we see in Revelation chapter 21 verse 4. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.” What a glorious hope?
Throughout Jesus Christ’s ministry on this earth and till today we can see a living Christ who stops at human cries. When His children cry- out He hears and respond. Jesus often stopped for the unlikely. Jesus would stop for ones whom His own disciples did not think He would stop for. Prayer is the medium via we cry out to Jesus Christ, our Savior. Is Prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire? Jesus always had time for those who called on him. Even on his way to Calvery he stopped to connect with the disconnected. There are many instances where Jesus stops at human cries. For example, in Mark chapter 10 verses 46 to 52 we see that the cry and plea of Bartimaeus never went unheard even in the market place. In fact, the crowd and the disciples were hindrances to the blind man and his cry for help reaching to Jesus Christ. As believers where are we? Are we creating hindrance or paving the way for a less fortunate person to find the help he or she needs. The blind man shouted/cried, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me” (vs.47b). The Son of Man stood to counter the man- made barriers that prevented the blind man from reaching him. It was the helpless cry of Faith that moved Jesus to heal Bartimaeus. In the same way when you and I cry out to our Savior he stops and listen and take action.
When Bartimaeus was challenged by forces that prevented him from reaching out to his master he cried out loudly. What about us? Do we stop at the first obstacle that prevents us from reaching out to our master, or do we cry out even louder. It was Bartimaeus’ prayer for deliverance from his state of blindness to a renewed life. Worldly rituals or barriers have pushed him out of the mainstream and he had no one to rely on other than his dirty cloak. When things get hard, we need to take bold steps and it was through his prayer in the form of shout or cry that he poured out his pain and suffering to the master.
“Jesus stopped and said call him”. When he heard that Jesus was calling him, immediately he threw his cloak aside and jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. We serve a living Christ who stops and converse with us. We all have experienced this one time or other during our time. In verse 51 we see that “What do you want me to do for you? Jesus asked him.” Bartimaeus without hesitation replied, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go, said Jesus, your faith has healed you”. We should choose to ignore those who would attempt to silence us. We must refuse to be silenced by the religious majority that would say that our cry is too loud, too passionate, perhaps too irreverent. We must be focused on Jesus to whom we are crying out to and determined to ignore the crowd. We must cry out even louder for our generation and surely Jesus will stop for us; in fact, Jesus is already stopping and calling us.
Jesus stopped and called Bartimaeus through His disciples thus enforcing them with new insight which they lacked. Let this Lent season be a time to realize the importance of prayer in our lives to cast away our sense of pride and false security. Bartimaeus was healed, his external vision gave the new internal vision and a sense of direction for a new mission to follow Jesus Christ to the cross. When you hear the voice of Jesus calling you, it no longer matters who tried to silence you. His voice permeates through the crowd. I will conclude this devotion with a reminder about the living hope that soon a day will come when Jesus Chris will wipe every tear from our eyes as we see in Revelation chapter 21 verse 4. “He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death, or mourning or crying or pain for the old order of things has passed away.” What a glorious hope?
Prayer
Lord, give us the grace and boldness to approach you with all our needs, cries and heart-aches. Enable us to listen to your voice and block all unwanted noises. Heal us both physically and spiritually. Amen
Thought of the Day: We need never be ashamed of our tears. - Charles Dickens
Mathew K. Lukose, Sehion Mar Thoma Church, Dallas, TX
Lord, give us the grace and boldness to approach you with all our needs, cries and heart-aches. Enable us to listen to your voice and block all unwanted noises. Heal us both physically and spiritually. Amen
Thought of the Day: We need never be ashamed of our tears. - Charles Dickens
Mathew K. Lukose, Sehion Mar Thoma Church, Dallas, TX