Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us
Jesus created quite a ruckus in the Temple after being hailed with a hero’s welcome when He arrived in Jerusalem. He drove out the money changers. He turned over their tables. He reprimanded them sharply. Afterwards, Matthew 21:14 tells us that the blind and the lame came to Him there in that holy place, and He healed them.
That seems fitting to us, the perfect place for Jesus to perform miracles. However, in Jerusalem, tradition dictated that the blind and lame – anyone who had a physical impairment – were not allowed to enter the Temple. Their imperfection denied them the right to be admitted to the very place where they could receive healing.
Jesus broke through the barriers, tore through the tradition to welcome the hurting. Can you imagine the crush of the crowd? Can you see their eager faces? Here, where they had only found rejection and resistance, Jesus reached out to heal blind eyes and lame limbs. Those who had never seen before received their sight. Those who had never walked went running and leaping and praising God. The Temple walls must have resounded with exuberant shouts. Tears of joy and gratitude must have wet their cheeks.
Throughout Scripture, we see Jesus reaching out in welcome: sharing a meal with tax collectors, pulling a child onto His lap, touching a leper, plucking Peter out of the sea, taking a dead girl’s hand, smearing mud on a blind man’s eyes. He welcomed their questions and their complications, their illnesses and infirmities.
He is still reaching, still welcoming. His arms are open. His eyes are smiling. No fear of rejection here. We can boldly approach the throne of grace with full confidence to obtain mercy and grace (Hebrews 4:16). We are surrounded by the spiritually blind, those who have overlooked the important and cannot see what is needful. We are surrounded by the spiritually lame, those who may see what they need but are too hindered to get to it. We can bring them to the throne, too – with full confidence of acceptance and love.
Blessing:
Precious Jesus, thank You for breaking down the walls that stood between us. I am so grateful that Your arms are open, that Your hands are reaching, that Your heart is welcoming, that I am accepted in the Beloved. May I always extend that same welcome to others. In the name of Jesus…Amen.
Today's Bible Reading:
Old Testament
Deuteronomy 13:1-15:23
New Testament
Luke 8:41-9:6
Psalms & Proverbs
Psalm 71:1-24
Proverbs 12:5-7
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