Learning from Jesus - Pt. 14

 

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 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 ESV).

 

When I am in my car alone, I often have conversations with God. I call it “window time.” It’s the perfect time to think about the things that are on my mind. This form of meditation often leads me to actually talk out loud. I know, that’s pretty weird, but it seems to help me focus better. The really strange thing is that when I go silent and listen, it’s a different story. I hear the same question that Jesus asked Bartimaeus: “What do you want me to do for you?”

 

It seems like a straightforward question that I can answer easily. But, knowing about Jesus and how he calls us to live, I realize that I need to think carefully. Fulfilling a desire that is on my mind would be great—but what about that person I know who has not yet come to faith in Christ? Or what about that person who is suffering and needs healing? My list can be rather lengthy. And most of the things on my list are worth asking for (I have to confess that I often ask the Lord to help the Aggies win their next football game).

 

Bartimeus believed in Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of David. He knew he was crying out to the Savior, and he was sure of his answer. And when he was healed, he left everything behind to follow Jesus. We should all realize that we too need to trust so fully in Jesus that we can see he is the one who is capable of doing all things. Sometimes we want the miracle more than I want the one performing it. I hope that when Jesus asks you, “What do you want me to do for you?” your trust in him will clarify your answer.