Day Twenty-Seven
Scripture: Mark 10:46-52
46 They came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 48 Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ 49 Jesus stood still and said, ‘Call him here.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart; get up, he is calling you.’ 50 So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 51 Then Jesus said to him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ The blind man said to him, ‘My teacher, let me see again.’ 52 Jesus said to him, ‘Go; your faith has made you well.’ Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.
Observation:
“What do you want me to do for you?”
This is the same question Jesus asked James and John when they came to him, saying, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you” (Mark 10:36). They sought the places of honor in Jesus's glory. His response to them was, “You don’t know what you’re asking.”
Bartimaeus, however, knew precisely what he desired. When called, he cast aside his cloak, perhaps his sole protection as a blind beggar, and sprang up to come to Jesus. This act symbolizes his profound expectation based on his understanding of who Jesus was. He pleaded, “My teacher, let me see again!”
Our requests to Jesus vary depending on our understanding of him. If we view him solely as a problem-solver, a means to success, or a guarantor of our own glory, his response may well be, “You have no idea what you’re asking.”
But Bartimaeus knew exactly who Jesus was: the Son of David, the long-awaited Messiah, and the ultimate healer. It was this faith that prompted Jesus to declare, “Your faith has made you well.”
What would your request to Jesus be today? If you asked me, in one word, my understanding of Jesus is Emmanuel - God with us. I would ask him, “Teacher, walk with me as I seek to follow in your footsteps.”
Application:
What would be your answer if Jesus asked, “what do you want me to do for you?”
Who is Jesus for you and what is your daily request to him?
Prayer / Reflection:
Song of Reflection: In the Secret