Still seated upon His throne of mercy ~ Mike MacIntosh

Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Mark 10:46-48 Aren't you glad that Jesus never tires of granting His mercy? We deserve nothing but judgment and fair payment for our sin, and for the sins that we've caused in others. Yet God, who is rich in mercy, is willing to give us His mercy. I've heard so many people through the years complain, saying that life is unfair, and that they deserved so much more than they'd received. But the reality is so clear: we have been given so much! The question isn't, "God, why don't I have what I deserve," but rather, "God, why have you loved me so much that I am not getting what is really due me--punishment for my sin?" Consider Bartimaeus. Though a blind man, he could clearly see that, in Jesus Christ, complete forgiveness of sin and an outpouring of God's mercy is found. With a humble heart, he cried out, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" And yet many in the crowd of people following Jesus warned Bartimaeus to keep quiet. Did they think Jesus was too busy? Did they think He was too important? Did this blind man's faith in Jesus embarrass them? We're not given the reasons, but what a sad commentary on the people following Jesus. Ask yourself today: Are you hindering others from asking for God's healing touch, just as these people were? For example, I know how difficult it is to talk about the things of the Lord when I'm flying back home from a long trip. Tired, crammed into a small space, and low on patience, the last thing I want to do is talk with someone. But so often it's as if the Lord places a person in the seat next to me, specifically so I can talk to him about salvation. God gives us opportunities to share His love, but how many times do we hinder His work and shut people out? Let the Holy Spirit flow through your life and use every opportunity that comes your way to share Jesus Christ. Keep your heart humble and be in that place where you see the Lord's mercies new every morning (Lamentations 3:23).