LESSON FROM A BLIND MAN’S MIRACLE
When blind Bartimaeus heard that Jesus Christ was passing by where he begged, he cried out to Jesus for mercy and adamantly refused to let the people around him stop him from crying out no matter how hard they tried. His faith was not merely in his heart; his faith was in his actions. He was resolute that Jesus had what he needed. But the story does not end there. When he asks Jesus for his sight and receives it, guess what he does with his new sight. He uses his eyes to see and follow Jesus. How many of us when we receive miracles and blessings from the Lord go off on our merry way, maybe tossing a quick thank you in His direction, and then off we go to our own lives and our own way of living?
The Greek word translated into “follow” in relation to Jesus actually means to accompany. We are not called to merely believe in Jesus; we are called to accompany Him by leaving behind our old way of living and learning to live according to the ways of the Lord and to live the lives to which He has called us. Bartimaeus was resolute not only in receiving from Jesus, be he was resolute in following Him. Are you?
Mar 10:46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
Mar 10:47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Mar 10:48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
Mar 10:49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
Mar 10:50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
Mar 10:51 And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.
Mar 10:52 And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.