Friday, April 30, 2021
And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, What do you want him, me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. Mark 10:46-52
Keep Calling Out To Him
Jesus and His disciples and a great crowd were leaving Jericho when Jesus stopped. He had heard something, but how He could hear it with the low roar of the large crowd? The voice of pain cut through the din of the crowd. Jesus heard the cry of the blind beggar Bartimaeus, who sat on the side of the road begging people for money as they came and went from Jericho.
Bartimaeus heard the excited crowd that day and probably asked what was going on. He found out that it was Jesus and he immediately began to cry out for Him. Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! People told him to be quiet, but he didn’t stop. He called louder, because he knew the Savior was passing by and he was not going to miss the only moment of hope, the only chance he may ever have.
We don’t know if Bartimaeus was blind his whole life, but his life currently held very little hope. He was a blind beggar. He couldn’t travel anywhere or work. He couldn’t go for a walk or go see his friends. He probably didn’t even have any friends. He could only sit on the side of the road and hope for kindhearted travelers who would spare him a few coins. He must have felt hopelessly stuck with no hope of a future and was just trying to survive.
Bartimaeus was much more aware of the presence of the Savior than some of us. He was tuned in, paying attention, and he was looking for deliverance. He called out and he would not be quieted. He let his faith dictate his cries to Jesus and would not be quieted by the world. Eventually His faith made him well. Jesus heard his cries over everything else and told the disciples to call him. They went to him and told him to take heart. Get up; He is calling you. And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to him, What do you want him, me to do for you?” And the blind man said to him, Rabbi, let me recover my sight.
What can we learn from Bartimaeus? We can learn something of what it means to journey out of darkness and blindness of hopelessness into light and the gift of seeing. Like Bartimaeus, we can rise above our limitations and be all that God will have us to be – with His help. Although we may feel hopelessly stuck in our lives, Jesus has an answer. We have to keep calling to Him and believing just like Bartimaeus did. When the world tells us to be quiet, we have to keep calling Him. When Satan tries to make us believe it is hopeless, we have to keep calling. When the heaviness in our hearts tries to steal our belief, we have to keep calling.
Sometimes we have to become as desperate as Bartimaeus was to become determined enough to not quit. We also have to be willing to take the step Jesus tells us to take. Bartimaeus came…UNHESITATINGLY! With abandonment! He was excited and expectant. Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up …and LET GO of what he had clung to for security and protection. Unfortunately sometimes we stumble around in the dark for far too long and become way to comfortable in the darkness, even though we want out. We ask Jesus, He answers, and we are terrified to leave the twisted comfort of the darkness. There is big faith required to let go and step out in faith.
Just as Jesus heard Bartimaeus, He hears us too - over all the noise. Bartimaeus kept calling, and his faith made him well. Go your way; your faith has made you well. And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. Mark tells us that when Bartimaeus received his sight, he "followed Jesus along the road." Can you imagine the testimony that his eyesight must have been as he told others the impact that Jesus had in his life?
Jesus is waiting. He is listening. He wants us to call out to Him from our darkness and be delivered in faith. Then we too can share our testimony with others so that they can know His healing.
