What Do You Need from Jesus?
Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”
“Lord, I want to see,” he replied. (Luke 18:39–41)
–Romans 8:31–32
Those that “led the way,” the ones out front, the ones that the crowds looked up to, began to chide, berate, and censure our beggar for pleading for mercy from Jesus. When we cry out to Jesus in our emptiness, begging for His compassion, we should not be surprised to encounter opposition.
“Those who earnestly seek Christ’s favours and blessings will not be deterred from the pursuit of them, though they meet with oppositions and rebuke. They who went along rebuked him as troublesome to the Master, noisy and impertinent, and told him to be quiet. The check given him was but as a dam to a full stream, which makes it swell so much the more.” (Matthew Henry)
Jesus never turns away those who seek after Him! Indeed, those who earnestly seek Jesus are never troublesome to Him.
–Psalm 28:6–8
And yet, how often do we scurry away from the needy for various reasons, not the least of which boils down to pure selfishness? We are called to walk as Jesus did through the power of the Holy Spirit. Often we miss many opportunities presented to us for kingdom work because we are too preoccupied with this world and all that it has to offer.
However, Jesus responds to seekers quite differently. He tells us in John:
All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. (John 6:37)
God’s Word through Jeremiah has this same message for us:
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity.” (Jeremiah 29:13–14)
–K.H. Von Bogatzky
In fact, Jesus tells us:
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7:7–8)
Do you want more and more of Jesus manifested in your life; more and more of the precious Holy Spirit made conspicuous rather than quenched? The verb tense in the above verses actually emphasizes “Keep on asking,” “Keep on seeking,” and “Keep on knocking.” Why? Bcause the Father loves to give good gifts to those who ask. And what is the good gift? Luke clearly tells us:
“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:9–13)
Matthew Henry says:
“Christ has more tenderness and compassion for distressed supplicants than any of His followers have. Those who had checked him must now lend him their hands to lead him to Christ.”
Jesus is graciously willing to come to our aid!
Take It to Heart
“Yes, He does ‘exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think;’ granting not only according to the notion of our narrow hearts, but according to the riches of His glory, as becomes His majesty. Christ delights in great petitions; for He is a great Lord, and is ‘rich unto all that call upon Him.’” (K.H. Von Bogatzky)