In scripture, when things are going bad, the strong and the pure of heart will often start their cries with, “Where have I missed it, Lord?” – They desire for God to search their hearts so that they might know their wrongs, repent and do what is right and pleases the Lord. I have not yet seen one time in scripture where God does not reach out and respond to a PURE CRY for mercy; in fact, Jesus seems to be arrested by it.
Matthew 20:29-34 tells a story of two blind men who cried out to Jesus for mercy. When these two blind men heard that Jesus was coming by, they shouted for him to have mercy on them. And when the crowd that was near them told them to stop shouting, they shouted even louder!
Why did they cry out for mercy? They had probably been taught their blindness was a result of their sin. In their desperation they cry out, but no one is listening to them… in fact the crowd is trying to shut them up. Except Jesus. He has compassion on them, and stops and turns to ask, “What do you want from me?”
In times of pressure and discouragement, times when there is only silence; When you feel as though you are cracking under the pressure of circumstance, you can simply cry out, “Lord, son of David, have mercy on me.”
I was soaking in the tub after an afternoon of moving my office out of our old church building, and I dipped my head under the water where I can hear my heart beat very loudly. As I listen to my heart beat, the Holy Spirit asks me, “What do you hear?” I say, “My heart beat.” And he responds,
“I hear a good, strong heart, a pure, passionate heart that loves Me. Protect your heart from the seeping toxin of discouragement, doubt and unbelief. Guard it, I am for you. Don’t give ground in the battlefield of your mind. Entertain nothing but what I’ve just told you. I am with you even to the end of this age! Don’t forget that, Bobby. I told you when you were just 15 years old, wandering so aimlessly without a Father or a godly male role model to disciple you. Even in all of your sin, I told you I was with you. All the more now, hear Me. I AM FOR YOU AND WITH YOU EVEN TILL THE END OF THE AGE.”
As I read the scripture from Matthew 20, and cried out to the Lord for mercy, I saw Jesus turn to me and say, “What do you want from me, Bobby?” In that moment I prayed, and maybe your prayer will go a little something like mine:
Lord,
I just want you to heal my heart. I know what it is to know joy and peace in times of trouble, and I know that trouble will always come. I know offense will always come, and rejection will always come.
In this moment, I’m not asking you to fix all the things I think have gone wrong. I am asking you to heal me! Heal me so that I can be a light and a joy, and a breath of fresh air. Heal me Lord, so that I can lead well. Heal me, so that I can be a blessing to my wife, family, church, friends, and neighbors.
Heal me and make me strong again Lord. Your promise is this, “Let the weak say I am strong.” You word says this, “In my weakness your strength is made perfect.” Put a song in my heart. Make me a sign and a wonder in the midst of personal trouble, in the culture we all live in.
I want you to heal me, Lord. Man can’t fix this. Counselors can’t fix this. Money can’t fix this. Friends can’t fix this. You are the healer, and You are my healer.
Heal me so I can fulfill the calling of the Lord on my life. “For the spirit of the Lord is upon me for He has anointed me to PREACH the gospel to the poor.” Heal the broken hearted and set at liberty the captive.
My worth is found here in this word. My worth is found in your value of me. My worth is found in that which is eternal.
Amen.
