What Do You Want Me to Do for You?

Jesus said, “What do you want me to do for you?” (Luke 18:41). This was the question Jesus asked the blind beggar at the roadside.

What would we say if Jesus asked us the same question? No doubt we would have a variety of needs and requests to put to Him. Our lives can be littered with unanswered prayers, disappointments, heartache, and pain. And perhaps we might wonder, “Doesn’t Jesus care?” Of course, He cares. He cares about every aspect of our lives. ‘I have loved you with an everlasting love’ (Jeremiah 31:3).

God is God. He will work His purposes out. Who are we to tell Him what He should do? Who are we to question His judgements or His decisions? ‘“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts”’ (Isaiah 55:7-8).

There’s much we don’t understand. We get frustrated about many things. But we need to step back and look at the bigger picture: There’s an immeasurable gap between the vastness of God and His Kingdom, and the infinitesimal existence of mankind. It’s a gap which no man can bridge. Then there’s Jesus, the bridge, the one who brings the two together. In Him are all aspects of God. “I and the Father are One” (John 10:30).  ‘In Him he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure’ (Ephesians 1:9).

As we recognise God through Christ, we come closer to an understanding of His ways and His will. It is like a child clinging to his father’s hand as they walk through a storm together. The child is fearful but, as he draws closer to his father, he feels safe, protected and secure. He doesn’t understand, but with complete trust he is led to safety.

What was so special about the blind beggar to whom Jesus said, “What do you want me to do for You?” He knew who Jesus was, and that He was the Son of the promise of the line of David. As a young Jewish boy, he would have been brought up with the Scriptures. He would have known that the Messiah would be ‘pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and by His wounds we are healed’ (Isaiah 53:4-5).

And now Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.

Here He was, the long-awaited Messiah! “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me.” The whole crowd would have heard it. This man was desperate. He cried again, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”

“What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord” he said, declaring before the many his submission to the Lord, “I want to see.”

To know Him, who He really is, recognising our need before Him makes all the difference. ‘Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you”’ (Luke 18:42).