Matthew 9:18-38  A synagogue official's daughter, a suffering woman,  two blind men, and a demon-possessed man unable to speak... Jesus healed, brought back from the dead, relieved the suffering, gave back sight and words..

"Daughter, take courage; your faith has made you well." (v22)

"Do you believe that I am able to do this?.. Be it done according to your faith."

The synagogue official believed that if Jesus came and laid His hand on his daughter.. she would live.

The suffering woman believed that if she could just touch His garment.. she would be healed.

The blind men believed that He was able to open their eyes.. 

The ones who brought the demon-possessed man believed He could set this captive free. 

And Jesus did!  How great was His compassion.. "And seeing the multitudes, He felt compassion for them, because they were distressed and downcast like sheep without a shepherd."   His compassions never fail! He still feels the same today..He still sees us..  He still is willing to show us His mercy. 

Jesus came to proclaim the good news of the Kingdom.  He has come to reign and His reign is so, so good!  He delivers, He heals, He sets free the captives.. He opens our eyes.  He calls us to take courage and to have faith.  I read recently in a devotional book these words.. "Ask boldly."  It has stuck with me. These men and woman came to Jesus with deep needs and they asked boldly.. they believed boldly.. and they found that He answered their prayers according to their bold faith.. 

I John 5:14-15  "And this is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked of Him."

Jesus tells His disciples to ask this.. "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest!" 

Father in heaven, Holy One.. we come before You to beseech- to beg.. to bind ourselves to this petition.. that You would send forth workers with  the good news of the Gospel... to the multitudes today who are distressed and downcast.. lost, suffering, captive, blind, mute.. dead.  Fill us,, Spirit of God with bold faith.. with boldness in prayers and petitions.. that in the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ the harvest of souls would indeed be plentiful!  Amen and amen!