Shout Louder

As Jesus and His followers arrived in Jericho, there was a blind beggar sitting on the roadside. When he heard the crowd approaching, he asked, “What’s all this commotion about? “It’s Jesus!” they said. “Jesus the Nazarene is passing by. ”The blind beggar shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity and show me mercy!” Those who were in the front of the crowd scolded him and warned him to be quiet. But, the blind beggar shouted out even louder.

“Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!” Suddenly, Jesus stopped. He told those nearby, “Bring the man over to me.” When they brought him before Jesus, he asked the man, “What is it you want me to do for you?” “Lord,” he said, “please, I want to see again.” Jesus said, “Now you will see. Receive your sight this moment. For your faith in me has given you sight and new life.”

Instantly, he could see again. He shouted loud praises to God and he followed Jesus. And when the crowd saw what happened, they too erupted with shouts of praise to God. Luke 18:35-43

“But he shouted out even louder” -These words just about jumped off the page at me. They kept ringing in my heart. Honestly, this scripture has been on my heart for months now. When I was asked to write a blog post for my sweet friend, I instantly knew this story was what everything was to be focused on. I have repeated these words in my mind and heart over and over again “He just shouted even louder."

I feel these words should be a declaration over our life. That this man's story wasn’t meant to be just a story. This scripture was meant to change our lives.

I feel like so often our hearts have dreams, desires and passions inside of us and we know we were meant to make the world a better place. Yet, so often we sit in life letting opportunities, callings and dreams pass us by.

I don’t think any of us do this intentionally, but it seems to happen more often than not.

I doubt the blind man wanted to be a beggar, sitting on the side of the road daily. I am sure inside of him, there were dreams and passions that would have made the world a better place. For years, his circumstances dictated his outcome in life.

He sat daily begging for money and food. He heard people around him walking by him and ignoring him, because of who he was in that season. They didn’t see him for the potential that he had, they only saw him for what he was based on their perspective.

The world doesn’t have the ability to allow people to see things from a perspective like Heaven does.

God is strategic, nothing He does is by accident. I am sure the man sat close to or in the same spot everyday. This story tells us Jesus was “passing by," but was He really?

I think if we are honest, Jesus knew the man was in the crowd and He could have just healed him if he wanted too but here is the thing:

Sometimes God is waiting for us to do what we can do so He can do what we can’t do. The blind man may have been limited by the world on what he could accomplish in life. The culture may have looked down upon him because of his circumstances, but what they couldn’t do was silence him. He still had his voice.

Sometimes God is waiting for us to do what we can do so He can do what we can’t do.

The man asked what was going on around him when he heard the crowd approaching. The moment he heard Jesus was passing by he began SHOUTING. He may not have been able to see or to get up and run toward Jesus but he used what he had, his voice.

The crowd around him immediately began telling him to stop yelling.

Think about it: How often do we have a dream, passion or feel like God is telling us to step out in faith to do something when the culture around us tells us to stop? That our dream will never work out, that you will never be able to do that, that it is too risky, that no one will ever listen to you. Not only people, but ourselves. When we put our faith in our own abilities, we instantly disqualify ourselves for what God has for us.

That is exactly what was happening to this man at this very moment. He could have easily given into the crowd surrounding him, his mind could have easily made him focus on his circumstances, that "God will never hear him, that he's just a the blind beggar." BUT HE SHOUTED EVEN LOUDER.

Say it to yourself, let it ring in your heart and mind over and over and over again. HE ONLY SHOUTED LOUDER.

This man knew what was inside of him was worth more than what was surrounding him. He so badly wanted to see Jesus that He didn’t let the mass crowd silence Him. He didn’t just fall back and give up.

When the man shouted louder Jesus immediately stopped. I mean think about it, Jesus was in a mass crowd of people. I am sure the noise was surreal, yet He heard the blind man shouting.

He heard him because his faith was louder than any noise coming out of the crowd. The man was giving it his all despite the circumstances around him. He made himself available to Jesus exactly how he was. Blind, begging and being silenced by the world.

He heard him because his faith was louder than any noise coming out of the crowd.

Jesus need us to be fully available to Him, willing to say yes to Him exactly as we are. Not perfect, not having it all figured out, not having the world's approval. He just ask that we be willing and says He will do the rest.

You know my favorite part of this entire story? That when the blind man could see again he immediately started to praise Jesus and follow Him. I am sure there were so many things the man wanted to do but he instantly started praising Jesus.. And you know what? That same crowd that tried to silence him, started praising Jesus with him. The same man that the world wanted to silence, is now the same man that led the crowd to erupt with praise..

Friends, stop letting yourself and others stop you from what God has for you. Your thoughts and those voices are just noise, like the voices in this crowd were just noise to this man, just shout louder.

SHOUT LOUDER, PRAY LOUDER AND PRAISE LOUDER.

No matter how loud the noise of this world gets, SHOUT LOUDER. Let your noise and your faith lead the world to the reality of Heaven.

I am praying that God gives you the wisdom and courage to only be louder. Louder in your dreams and faith to let God use you in a way only He can!

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About the author: Tasha Shriver

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