DATE POSTED: Wednesday, August 30, 2023, and I was blessed to be at Ashford, AL when God inspired me to prepare this devotional. My Footnote will tell you how to find, read or listen to any and all episodes that I have shared over the years.

TODAY’S SCRIPTURE FROM THE New Living Translation (NLT) IS FOUND IN Luke 18:35-43

THE BIBLE TEXT IS: As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind beggar was sitting beside the road. When he heard the noise of a crowd going past, he asked what was happening. They told him that Jesus the Nazarene was going by. So he began shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” “Be quiet!” the people in front yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” When Jesus heard him, he stopped and ordered that the man be brought to him. As the man came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “I want to see!” And Jesus said, “All right, receive your sight! Your faith has healed you.” Instantly the man could see, and he followed Jesus, praising God. And all who saw it praised God, too.

MY INITIAL THOUGHTS: In the Bible text, I bolded and underlined the text showing the attitude of the crowd and the leaders of the group that led Jesus in His march. The other bolded areas show the caring attitude and warm words of Jesus towards the man that many despised. I believe this is a great example of what still happens today, for Jesus still cares for His own and He will stop the parade at work, at church or at home so that He might attend to our most urgent needs. Throughout our study today, be reminded of the love and caring attitude of the One we call our Lord and Savior!

APPLICATION OF THE WORD: I’m afraid that the Word of God has made little impact on Christians today, because there is such little proof of whose we are. In the Bible, there is such drastic measures to show that Jesus was crucified out of pure and honest love for us; so many miracles to show the awesome compassion, love and power of our awesome King, yet way too often Christians today still look, sound and act so much like the leaders of that crowd that paved the way for Jesus to march into Jerusalem. For us, it’s still challenging to accept someone who may not fit the description of what, we have determined in our minds, that a child of God should look like. I have always said that I have so many challenges of my own, and so many things to concentrate on in looking more like Jesus, that I just don’t know how I could possibly look at the problems others have. But I believe that the Holy Spirit is quite capable of directing me to be the hands and feet of Jesus. Friends, here’s what we tend to do:
– The crowd saw a blind man who made a pest of himself begging for food.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man who couldn’t help himself recover from blindness, and mow, the Master Healer who is forever capable of healing him is passing by.
– The crowd saw a man who couldn’t do anything for himself nor earn a living.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man that His glory and His power could shine through and offer restoration and hope to all those who felt they couldn’t do……
– The crowd saw a man who couldn’t join them in the march, nor stand and sing praises to the lone Son of God who was passing by.
——-BUT Jesus saw a man who was born in His likeness and needed physical healing, that could very easily have also led him to spiritual wholeness, with a brand-new life as a child of the King!
In my introduction, I shared how I wondered how much the Gospel and all the examples of God’s wondrous power in times past has truly helped us today to be more understanding of those who need the Lord and/or those who need a touch from God. I wonder, how many ushers lead the poor and battered all the way to the front row seats of your church? How many ushers try to squeeze the nicely dressed individual(s)in expensive clothes, into the back seats of your church? How many pastors rush from the pulpit after his sermon to catch up with the poorly dressed and possibly unbathed guy that kept mumbling during the service? If we’re not careful, we might be quick to take sides with the leaders of the march, and overlook the compassion, love and concern Jesus had for the most unlikely person along the road – a poor, blind man. You know, each of us were on that same level as that poor man at one time. We may have had money, but we were poor in spirit and so deep in sin that we wanted nothing to do with Jesus or the elite crowd that tend to follow Him. But regardless of our state at the time, Jesus saw us in the distance and the need that was written right across our faces, and He called out to us with the same compassion and love as He did to the blind man. As followers of Christ, we must pay attention to what Jesus was drawn to, because that’s what He expects of us dear ones. I love that song that has the same title as the one I chose for today’s devotional – ‘No One Ever Cared for me, like Jesus‘. Listen to it, for its lyrics, together with God’s Word, and my above thoughts, might help to convince you that Jesus cares for you, even when it feels like everyone else is pushing you away or would rather see you sit by the wayside begging for bread.

BLESSINGS WORTH NOTING: Jesus heard the blind man’s cry for help and in spite of the leaders who accompanied Him rejecting the poor man’s plea, Jesus healed his blindness and blessed him. I believe He does the same thing today for His children. He knows our needs and He hears our cry. I believe He is anxious to heal us into His likeness.

PRAYER BECAUSE OF THE IMPACT OF TODAY’S SCRIPTURE: Instead of just healing the blind man’s sight, You asked him what You could do for him. You care enough for us that You don’t take anything for granted, but You verify with us what it is that would make us happy. Thank You Jesus for being a very intimate and personal God. It is obvious that we matter to You. It is also obvious that Your decisions are not influenced by the feelings, wishes or words of others. Thank You Jesus that we personally matter to You. In our weak attempt to follow Your example, please remind us how important it is that we do not think and make decisions like other humans, but that we look to You for decisions while making every effort to follow Your example in our decision-making. I believe it is especially important that the unsaved see Jesus in us, and not the mean and selfish decisions of our earthly mentors. Lord, may You be glorified in every aspect of my life and those who will read and/or listen to this devotional. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There’s another page on my website, entitled ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading or listening to this devotional, please go to this page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin or continue your walk with Jesus. If you would like to read more of my devotionals, or subscribe for a daily email containing each new devotional, please go online to NuggetsFromGodsWord.org. For my podcast, go online to Apple Podcasts or, using the Apple Podcast app, simply search for Nuggets From God’s Word to hear more episodes, or click ‘Follow’ to be notified of Podcast updates. Friends, please allow me to encourage you to find a church home nearby your home and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!