Shout Louder!

 

In the stress and strain of our days, the noise drowns out our voices.  We long to be heard…trying to shout over the noise and others.  Do you ever feel the need to shout at Jesus for Him to hear you?  Others may try to quiet you, but He hears you.  Through all the struggle, commotion and noise, He hears you when you call to Him!  He knows your voice and will come to you, meeting you right where you are.

 

In Matthew 20, two blind men are sitting on the side of the road near Jericho.  They heard all the commotion of a large crowd and that Jesus was going by them.  They shouted, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us (v.30)!”  In the midst of everything, they longed to be heard by the One who gives mercy.  They raised their voices, calling out, hoping to be loud enough to grab His attention over all the other clamoring.  Some days, I try with all my might to shout as loud as I can in hopes He will hear me over all the noise surrounding me.

 

When I call out loudly, there are times when others try to quiet me.  Just as with these blind men, the crowd rebuked them, shushed them and told them to be quiet (v. 31).  These men teach me in this moment to not cave to those pressing their will upon me, but rather, to shout even louder to the One I need to offer me mercy.  Don’t give up on being heard just because others think you should be quiet.  He hears you!

 

 Jesus didn’t pass them by.  He stopped, called to them and tenderly asked, “What do you want me to do for you (v. 32)?”  When He stops to answer your shout, will you be ready to answer His question?  Their need may have seemed obvious to anyone passing by.  Yet Jesus asks them the question, all the same.  Our needs may be glaring to everyone else, but when we shout to the Mercy Giver, we need to know for ourselves what our need is.  When they answered, “we want our sight (v. 33),” Jesus was moved with compassion, touched their eyes and they received their sight.  When we shout to Him, He is also moved with compassion towards us because of His great love for us.  He doesn’t just pass by, but offers His mercy.

 

As I struggle and strain to be heard above the crowd, I need only be reminded of Jesus’ love for me.  Because He loves me, He is listening intently to hear my shout.  Jeremiah encourages us to use our voices in chapter 33, “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and mighty things you do not know (v. 3).”  God wants us to cry out, shout and call to Him.  When the crowd is pressing in and others are trying to quiet you, keep shouting louder, knowing He hears and is coming to offer you mercy.