Blind Bartimaeus, July 7, 2015 Daily Reflection

I was reading the story of the blind man Bartimaeus Mark 10: 46-52. It is a story about a blind beggar who yells out to Jesus, “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me.” When he finally gets the attention of Jesus the disciples tell him to go to Jesus. Bartimaeus’ response was, “He threw aside his cloak, sprang up, and came to Jesus.” The cloak was mostly likely the only thing he owned and he threw it aside. He did not walk calmly to Jesus, he sprang up and went to Jesus. Jesus of course asked what he needed and healed him. “Jesus, told him, Go your way; your faith has saved you.” So, Jesus healed this blind man and told him he could go. Jesus did not tell him to leave his life behind and follow him but to go his way. “Immediately he received his sight and followed him on the way.”

In our lives many of us pray to Jesus Christ hoping he will hear our prayers. Some of us get answers but rarely does anyone who gets an answer from Jesus discard his possessions to find out what the answer is. Even rarer is the person who responds to Jesus with excitement, zeal, or enthusiasm. Most of the time when an answer is revealed to us by Jesus we are called to do something difficult and we are not excited, but challenged, worried, and exhausted by the request. Only a handful of people who have understood the call of Jesus Christ in their lives will actually follow the life and way of Jesus Christ. Many will say they will follow but their footsteps inevitably veer towards our world and not the world of Jesus Christ.

Today, may each of us call out to Jesus Christ with faith that He will answer us. May we cast aside our possessions and run to Jesus with excitement and joy to listen to his answer. Then when Jesus heals our heart, relationship, sins, or brokenness, may we not forget about him but instead follow his way to heal and help others as well. May each of us be like the blind Bartimaeus this day.