What do you want me to do for you?

As I was studying in Luke 18 this morning there were a lot of takeaways.  The one that stuck out the most was there was a beggar who was blind and cried out to Jesus.  Now, Jesus is all knowing.  So I find this statement kind of funny.   Luke 18:41 says,

What do you want me to do for you?

Why would Jesus ask someone what they wanted from Him when He already knew?  Maybe because He wants us to keep asking.  In Luke 18:42 Jesus said,

Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.

God can do whatever He wants.  I think God wants us to ask and vocalize it. 

What must I do vs Your faith

I was studying in Mark 10 today.  There was a rich man who asked Jesus what he must do to gain eternal life.  That is the wrong question.  None of us can do anything.  Jesus did it all when He paid our ransom on the cross.  (Mark 10:45).  Then Bartimaeus begged Jesus to heal him.  People tried to keep him from Jesus but he begged even louder.  Jesus then healed him and said your faith has healed you. (Mark 10:52).  So what part do we play?  The reality is none of us are capable of saving ourselves.   But we must have faith in the one who can.

Just believe

My favorite secular band is Journey.  They wrote a song 40 years ago that is still popular today and played in many sporting venues called "Don't stop believing."  There are times when it is hard to believe.  A loved one is sick, dying or already has died.  Finances are so messed up it is impossible to see any hope.  In Mark 5 a Synagogue leader named Jairus came to Jesus and asked him to help.  Things had to be pretty bad for a Hebrew religious leader to come to Jesus.  He wanted Jesus to heal his daughter.  Jesus told him just to believe.  How often is the answer to my problem my own faith?   I don't think God gives us enough to handle.  I think He gives us more so we will depend on Him.  If we could handle things, why would we need God?  So I wonder how my own faith determines what God does?

Faith

We hear about faith a lot.  But do we really know what faith is?  Do I really have faith?  I say I do but sometimes I wonder.  I was studying Mark 2 today and Jesus was speaking to some people and there were so many people that they couldn't get in the house or even outside.  I guess that was the first church with overflow.  I do notice that where ever Jesus went there were crowds.  So, those who think Megachurches are evil might want to read the Bible.

But what struck me today was how four men did whatever they could to get to Jesus.  Not for them, but for their friend who couldn't walk.  They wouldn't be stopped.  They couldn't get through the crowd so they went on top of the house and dug a hole in the roof.  I wonder what the homeowner thought?  How would you explain that to your insurance agent?  Jesus saw their faith and forgave the man of his sins.  Not his faith, their faith!  He then healed the man to show his authority.  So, I wonder how often my faith changes the lives of others?