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Matthew 20:32
And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?
“When He Cometh” and “Ring the Bell of Heaven” are well-known hymns written by William Orcutt Cushing (1823-1903). Besides being an exceptional hymn writer, Cushin embodied the selfless teachings of Jesus. It is said that “He once gave all his savings ($1000) to help a blind girl receive an education,” and that he also provided “material aid to the school for the blind at Batavia” (1). There is a need for such men in the modern world. The world needs men who are willing to sacrifice for the betterment of the world around them. We need men who will stay true to duty, even when the heavens fall.
Mr. Cushing “was mindful of the suffering of others, but oblivious to his own.” Oh, let these words echo through the empty caverns of the sinners’ heart! Mindful of others but oblivious to Himself. While Cushing gave up his entire savings so the blind could be educated, Jesus Christ gave up His life so the blind at heart could see the light of the “glorious gospel” (2 Corinthians 4:4).
Behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David… And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.
So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes: and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him (Matthew 20:30-34).
When your ink and paper meet
And your thought become concrete
Tell the world that Jesus is sweet
Glorious, from His head to His feet
Such was the life of Mr. Cushing. When at the writing table he took a seat and gave the world the due meat. Through his hymns, he eloquently wrote heart-touching words. The following is a great example.
Sitting by the wayside,
sinful, weak and blind,
Waiting in my darkness for the day;
O Thou Saviour, Jesus,
Merciful and kind,
Hear me now, and take my sins away!
No one knows my sorrow,
no one cares for me—
Waiting in the darkness for the day;
Hear a sinner pleading,
pleading, Lord with Thee—
Jesus, come and take my sins away!
It seems like Mr. Cushing was alluding to the story of the two blind men by the wayside, recorded in Matthew 20. Cushing lived a life asking the blind “What will ye that I shall do unto you?” Yet he needed Jesus Christ to ask him the same question. Sometimes we reside within a condition where we may see the light of the sun but not the light of the Sun of Righteousness. It was David who said: “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law” (Psalm 119:18). Though Mr. Cushing could physically see, he needed a greater eye-opening experience; a spiritual one, in order to see the hope of the Gospel as Paul wrote to the Ephesians:
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power . . .(Ephesians 1:17-19).
When we go to God in prayer, the same question is asked of us. “What will ye that I shall do unto you?” Shall we spend our time asking for temporal things, such as a newer car, a greater house, or an increasing amount of money? Rather, like these blind men, we should focus on our primary need, the need to see Jesus Christ as our only hope. And this, friend, only comes through the Holy Spirit. This is what Paul wanted the Ephesians to know. Only the Spirit of God can give sight to the blind who sees rivers of water, but not the water of life, who sees the physical bread but not the bread of life, who sees his need to talk to a friend but not his need to communicate with Jesus Christ in prayer.
Dear friend, go to God in the name of Jesus and your eyes will be open to recognize your own spiritual condition. Jesus is waiting for you to allow him to do for you that which He did for the two blind men. Would you allow him today? AMEN.
Reference
(1) W. O. Cushing | Hymnary.org,” hymnary.org, n.d., https://hymnary.org/person/Cushing_WO.
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