These writings are my own daily thoughts of short passages from the Bible. Follow along and keep me active in writing everyday. Maybe we will make it through the whole Bible.
Mark 10:46~52
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. (52)
On the side of the road outside the city of Jericho sat a man with no name. All they could do was call him "Bartimaeus" which means son of "Timaeus". It seems his life was a tragedy because of his blindness. At that time the only thing a blind person could do was beg and feel sorry. The life of Timaeus was one we really could not understand, but only by the grace of God we are spared our health and eyes and hearing and our life. In the past people said, "Be thankful you are alive and have your health" but it sounded like a greeting. Today I realize that for human beings health of the body is an urgent mater just after spiritual health and the right relationship with God our father.
In the time of tragedy the blind beggar could give up in despair and feel sorry for himself, but he overcame himself and came to Jesus. I don't know how he came to Jesus or found Jesus' location. It seems that his spiritual ears were open. He might have been criticized for begging too loud in the past, but now he shouted. He was not afraid of being rejected or being misunderstood.
He began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" And the people did rebuke him and tell him to be quiet. The crowd made it very difficult for him to come to Jesus. They made him feel unworthy and hindered him from coming to his Lord and Master, the giver of life. When they persecuted him and tried to stop him, he shouted all the louder:
"SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!"
He was surrounded in blackness. When he opened his eyes he saw no light, but he heard the voice of Jesus. He welcomed Jesus as the Messiah, the son of David. He begged Jesus' mercy. He needed Jesus mercy. This mercy is not just feeling sorry, but this mercy has power to heal and give new life. Although people tried to stop him, this man Bartimaeus continued to beg for Jesus' mercy. He recognized he was lacking. He recognized that he was a sinner, but he believed Jesus' mercy was enough to make him well.
Just considering one day in my life, I don't know how I get by. It is only the mercy of God. When I step back and look at the future and how to deal with kids getting older and I have no idea how to help them. When they were little I could give them a bottle of warm milk and burp them and put them down to rest, but now they serious questions about life and interacting with friends and teachers and how to be a productive part of society. They are coworkers in the work of God and welcome Jesus' sheep and second gens but they themselves are sheep who need Jesus' mercy and the word of God. They need to be fed spiritual milk now so they can grow both physically and spiritually.
God's servant had mercy on us. We were exhausted on Sunday and then going to school Monday we had a lot to prepare. Nobody really wanted to cook and everybody was tired. Just then God's servant called and invited not only me, but our whole family to a nutritious dinner with so many side dishes. God has mercy on us even when we are very quiet, but this blind man was not going to let Jesus pass him by. He shouted all the more.
Jesus heard his call. Jesus stopped and told the people to "Call him". When they did so the man threw his cloak aside and jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. This was the moment in his life he was waiting for. He was not going to be lazy or miss this grace.
When Jesus met him, he had only one question: "What do you want me to do for you?"
It seems like a rude question for a blind man begging mercy, but it is so true that many do not know what they want and others want something that they don't really want at all in the end. This man could have answered that he wanted a job or he wanted a family, but his answer was so simple, "Rabbi, I want to see." He wanted his eyes open. He wanted to see the world God created in all the colors of spring. He wanted to see his hand in front of his face and most importantly, he wanted to see his savior, the son of David. So many longed to see the coming of the Messiah with their own eyes and he also wanted to see Jesus face to face.
Jesus said, "Go, your faith has healed you." This man had his sight and he had the freedom to go any place that he wants, but he followed Jesus along the road. When Jesus said, "Go" he went with Jesus. He was so happy to see Jesus and see the work of God all around him and see the kingdom of God in those who held to Jesus' word.
May God have mercy on me to open my eyes and see beyond what I have to do and see Jesus our Savior and King and worship Jesus. May God give me spirit and passion to worship Jesus. May God have mercy on many who are wounded. May Jesus heal them when they come to Jesus by faith.
Passage Mark 10:46~52
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means "son of Timaeus"), was sitting by the roadside begging.
47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you."
50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see."
52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Photos are from Myriams Fotos.
