Lord, Have Mercy…

29 And as they went out of Jericho, a great crowd followed him. 30 And behold, there were two blind men sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 31 The crowd rebuked them, telling them to be silent, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, have mercy on us, Son of David!” 32 And stopping, Jesus called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” 33 They said to him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” 34 And Jesus in pity touched their eyes, and immediately they recovered their sight and followed him. (Matthew 20:29–34, ESV)

Begging is humiliating.

Not only
Does it acknowledge need,
It admits
Desperation.

Miserable,
Hopeless
Need

Shame and embarrassment
Are overridden
In the face of such need.
Desperation moves
A man to actions
He would otherwise decry.

“Lord, have mercy…”
Is the cry of one
Who knows their need—
Has nothing else to lose—
And whose shame
Is overridden by their need.

“Lord, have mercy…”
Is the cry
Of one
Who knows that need—
BUT
Also knows where to run
For aid.
And in that desperation
Such a man
Will not
Be easily deterred.

ABBA,
Am I willing
To bear humiliation
Before You?
Before others?
Am I willing
To admit
My own spiritual desperation?
Am I willing to cry out
Even if the whole world,
Even if Your followers
Would tell me to be silent?

Do I persist with
“Lord, have mercy…”
Even when it costs
My dignity?
Especially when it does?

Do I stubbornly refuse
To back down
To be silent
No matter who rebukes
My plea for heavenly aid?
No matter
How often they rebuke?

Do I cry out
Even louder
When the voices
Of opposition
Demand my
Reticence?
Do I yield
When I should roar?

Even more…
Having found the source of aid—
In You—
Having found the satisfaction
Of my need—
In You—
Do I bring other needy souls—
To You—
Instead of attempting
To silence
Their embarrassing
Cries for help?

The beggar
Who cries
“Lord, have mercy…”
Knows their need.
And
They know
Where to look for aid.
And
They are unashamed to run
In that need.

Only pride
Stands in the way.

Pride
Is the obstacle
Preventing access to an eternal
Supply of aid

So,
ABBA,
Make me a beggar
Desperate in my need
Unashamed in my plea
Let me reach
For Your hand
Of mercy.
And as
A satisfied beggar
Let me lead
Other beggars
To the table of the King
May we feast together
On the provision
You graciously
Joyfully
Enthusiastically
Supply—
The provision—
OF YOU!