"As Jesus and his disciples were leaving Jericho, a large
crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the
roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was going by, they
shouted, "Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!" (Matthew
20:29-30, NIV).

Down the hot, dusty Jericho Road, leaving with his disciples
and a host of followers thronging around him, Jesus was
trying to move on from Jericho. Farther down the road two
blind men (probably beggars) were sitting by the wayside.
Wondering what all the commotion was about, they enquired
about what was happening.

"I think it's the man they call Jesus--that unorthodox
religious fellow," they heard someone say. "They say he goes
against many of our religious traditions and the leaders
hate him because of it. But he also heals people of all
sorts of ills. It will be great to see him. He's coming this
way."

The blind beggars knew all about Jesus but they'd never
"seen" him this close before. "Now's our chance," they said
to each other. Somehow they knew that this might be their
only chance to ever come anywhere near this man they call
Jesus. He would be passing right by them.

As the crowd neared them and they sensed that Jesus was
somewhere near, they yelled at the top of their voice,
"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"

The crowd rebuked them and tried to shut them up, but with
dignity thrown to the wind, they shouted all the louder,
"Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!"

And Jesus stood still! Amazing words. Amazing action. The
Son of God stood still.

Imagine it! The winds and the waves couldn't stop Jesus. The
crowds couldn't block him. The Roman soldiers had no power
over him. King Herod failed to have him killed when he was
just a baby. And the religious leaders couldn't control him.
But the cry of two blind, lonely beggars caused the Son of
God to stop dead in his tracks. And listen!

And Jesus called them, saying, "What do you want me to do
for you?"

"Lord," they answered, "we want our sight."

And Jesus, being moved with compassion, touched their eyes.
Immediately they received their sight and followed him.

"Lord, have mercy on me," is the one cry that God always
hears and for which Jesus always stands still and listens,
and says to you and me through his Word, "What do you want
me to do for you?"

"Dear God, thank you that two blind
beggars had the power to stop you and you had the power to
heal them. Help me to see my deepest need and confess this
to you. Have mercy on me and forgive all my sins, and grant
to me the healing of my wounded soul and the gift of eternal
life.

Thank you for hearing and answering my prayer just as
you heard and answered the cry of the two blind me. In
Jesus' name, amen."