Give all your worries and cares to God,
for He cares about you.
1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)
Series: The Gift of Faith
Have you ever been afraid of the dark? Nyctophobia is an intense and irrational fear of darkness or what you cannot see. I’m not afraid of the dark like some who have this, but I can’t have something covering my eyes, hindering my ability to see. Please don’t come up behind me and put your hands over my eyes and say, “guess who?” And I prefer not to take part in games like Blind Man’s Bluff, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, or Hide and Seek—unless I don’t have to be “it.” As I’ve gotten older, I can hide my reaction much better, but oh, my, don’t put my head under the covers!
Most of us cannot fathom not having the precious gift of sight. I am amazed at all the modern methods available to help those living with blindness or those with low vision. Braille and braille keyboards, guide dogs, voice recognition software, white canes for navigation, and many others all help to aid those with vision deficiencies.
Come meet a man named Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52 (NIV), who had none of these tools available to him:
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. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you. Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Bartimaeus spent his days begging beside the gate of Jericho. When Jesus and a group of followers were leaving the city and realizing it was Jesus, Bartimaeus called out, attempting to get His attention. Even though those with Jesus told him to be quiet, he continued to shout, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped. He told those with Him to call Bartimaeus over. Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, jumped to his feet, and went to Jesus. Jesus asked him what he wanted Him to do, and he answered, “I want to see.” Jesus spoke words Bartimaeus longed to hear, “Go, your faith has made you whole.” And immediately Bartimaeus received his sight. Then he followed Jesus, giving Him glory.
Bartimaeus was persistent in calling out for Jesus because he knew He was his only hope. May we be persistent in prayer, calling out to our Savior. He was seeking Jesus despite being discouraged by those who told him to be quiet. May we let nothing stand between us and our time with Jesus. When he received his healing, he followed Jesus with joy! May we follow Him with the same joy when He heals our lives through salvation. Bartimaeus not only followed Jesus; he went praising Him. Others saw the miracle and gave praise, just as we should when He answers our petitions.
The moment that stood out to me was when Bartimaeus threw off his cloak and went to Jesus. Why was that action so important to be noted in Scripture? That cloak identified him as a beggar. It was his protection from the elements. He may have spread it around him so those tossing him alms would not have to get too close to him since he was unclean by their standards. I believe it was a moment of faith. Bartimaeus believed Jesus would heal him, and he would no longer need that cloak. It was a symbol of his old life. He had confident assurance that a new life was just beginning.
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles us. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfector of faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2a NIV)
Throw off—to free oneself of, discard. Bartimaeus did this when he left his cloak behind. We should do this with anything keeping us from a close relationship with Jesus. Some things are little and some are huge, heavy weights. What a relief when we cast our cares on Him.
Oh, how sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word,
Just to rest upon His promise, just to know thus saith the Lord.
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, how I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er.
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, oh for grace to trust Him more.
(‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus – Lyrics by Louisa M.R. Stead)
What can you throw off today that will bring you closer to Him, knowing He is ever faithful in doing the things He has promised?
Holding Fast to Hope,
Debby
Scripture References: 1 Peter 5:7; Mark 10:46-52; Luke 18:35-43