God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 18

Day 18 Luke Chapter 18

“‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’” (vv. 38-39 NASB).

These two chapters of Luke speak volumes to the pain and suffering in the world. Two accounts of hurting and sick people crying out for the mercy of God. If He does not see their pain and intervene, they have no hope.

Bartimaeus has lived in a blind existence. His world was dark and lonely. Jesus said that while He is in the world, He is the Light of the World {Jn. 4:5}. Isaiah prophesied of the coming Child that He came to give Zion a happy future;

“Say to those with anxious heart, ‘Take courage, fear not. Behold, your God will come with vengeance; The recompense of God will come, But He will save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind will be opened And the ears of the deaf will be unstopped. Then the lame will leap like a deer, And the tongue of the mute will shout for joy’” (Is. 35:4-5 NASB).  

Mary did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
When you kiss your little baby, you kiss the face of God…

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will live again
The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the Lamb

Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
That sleeping child you're holding is the Great I Am.

(Mary Did You Know? Mark Lowery, 1984)

How often have we faced trials and circumstances that have brought us to our knees and caused us to cry out with anguished desperation, “Jesus, have mercy on me!?” The darkness, the sickness; this lost, dark, evil world gives many an opportunity. I have been brought to cry out on many occasions. 

“God doesn’t miss a single sigh that escapes our lips. But historically, God’s people most often cried out in spoken words that sprang from the depths of their being. 

Remember this Advent that He came to set the captives free—giving sight to the blind and opening deaf ears to hear the Good News of His coming Kingdom and to see Him when He arrives. Keep your eyes open. He will be arriving soon. 

 

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God Was In Christ: An Advent Reading Of Luke 17

Day 17 Luke Chapter 17

“Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan” {vv. 15-16 NASB}.

Leprosy was a horrible disease. There was no treatment and no cure. It was a brutal disease that met with a horrific death. Their cry, “Have mercy on us” is heart-wrenching. Such a cry of anguish that echoes through human history.
The ten lepers cry to Jesus for mercy because He is their only hope to be delivered from this agonizing existence. One with the curse of leprosy was marked as someone God Himself had cursed. There was no way out from this deadly mark. They desire to be healed because they know that only their healing can lift the pain and ostracism, allow them to enter society, and give them hope that life can return to normal life like it was before.

The narrative of the ten lepers is a lesson for us. Before entering this Advent season, we were focused on being thankful and not complaining and murmuring about what we didn’t have or want. God responds to gratefulness, not grumbling at our circumstances. These ten lepers all had faith in Jesus. They knew He was the only one to deliver them and make things right again. Every hope they had clung to who Jesus was and the power of God within Him. Jesus delivered. They cried out for mercy, and He granted it to them. He told them to show themselves to the priest {according to the Law of Moses} to declare them clean. They all went away healed!

This account is not one of a lack of faith but of a lack of gratefulness. Only one returned to worship the Lord for what He had done for them. They were in utter despair in a crisis moment in their lives, yet how quickly they forgot. As soon as the crisis was over, they went their separate ways. What they received was not taken from them. But the one who returned left with more blessings than the others who did not return to worship. Jesus told him that not only was he healed from this crippling disease, but because he came back and worshiped the Lord for the miracle, he would also be made whole. All that he had lost would be restored to him.

That is Mercy’s pen writing a new chapter for each of them. But special prose was written for the one who worshiped in gratefulness to the divine Physician. He took the time to return and let Jesus know what it meant to him to be healed.


Reflect in this season of waiting for the Christ Child upon everything the Lord has done for you. Let us remember what He has so mercifully delivered us from, how He has healed us and made us whole. Let the Lord know how His mercy has marked your life with deliverance and wholeness.

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Advent Seeking Christ: Day 17

Day 17 Luke Chapter 17

“Now one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back, glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. And he was a Samaritan” {vv. 15-16 NASB}. 

Leprosy was a horrible disease. There was no treatment and no cure. It was a brutal disease that met with a horrific death. Their cry, “Have mercy on us,” is heart-wrenching. Such a cry of anguish that echoes through human history.

The ten lepers cry out to Jesus for mercy because He is their only hope to be delivered from this agonizing existence. One with the curse of leprosy was marked as someone God Himself had cursed. There was no way out from this deadly mark. They desire to be healed because they know that only their healing can lift the ostracism and allow them to enter society and give them a glimmer of hope that life can return to like it was before.

The narrative of the ten lepers is a lesson for us. Before we entered into this Advent season, we were focused on being thankful and not complaining and murmuring about what we don’t have or what we want. God responds to gratefulness, not grumbling at our circumstances. These ten lepers all had faith in Jesus. They knew He was the only one who could deliver them and make things right again. Every hope they had clung to who Jesus was and the power of God within Him. Jesus delivered. They cried out for mercy and He granted it to them. He told them to go show themselves to the priest {according to the Law of Moses}so they could be declared clean. They all went away healed!

This is account is not one of a lack of faith, but of a lack of gratefulness. Only one returned to worship the Lord for what He had done for them. They were in a crisis moment in their lives—in utter despair—yet how quickly they forgot. As soon as the crisis was over, they went their separate ways. What they received was not taken from them. But the one who returned left with more blessing than the others who did not return to worship. Jesus told him that not only was he healed from this crippling disease, but because he came back and worshiped the Lord for the miracle, he would also be made whole. All that he had lost would be restored to him.

That is Mercy’s pen writing a new chapter for each of them. But special prose was written for the one who worshiped in gratefulness to the divine Physician. He took the time to come back and let Jesus know what it meant to him to be healed.

Reflect in this season of waiting for the Christ Child upon everything the Lord has done for you. Let us not forget what He has so merciful delivered us from; how He has healed us and made us whole. Let the Lord know how His mercy has marked your life with deliverance and wholeness.

 

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