Saturday, October 23, 2010

"Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."

Its a another ordinary busy day over at the city of Jericho. Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, is sitting in his usual spot along the roadside listening to the footsteps of the city pass bye as they trot along running daily tasks and errands.
Everyday he sits along the roadside and identifies people by their voice and the stride of their steps. Today was the usual, people always going and coming, coming and going, same old same old.
But today, Bartimaeus hears something different; a commotion can be heard coming from down the street. Footsteps of a large crowd reach Baritmaeus ears. He can hear the excitement and feel the emotion through the crowd and curious as to what is going on he listens more intently to figure out what the buzz is all about.
Did someone really just say that Jesus of Narareth is walking by? Could it really be Jesus walking by with his disciples? Bartimus wonders to himself. Nope he had heard it right, Jesus was walking by him this very minute.
He immediately begins to cry out saying: "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" "Have mercy on me!"
His cries are met with rebukes from the crowd and to be silent. Ignoring the crowd, he cried out even louder and shouted with all his might: "Son of David, have mercy on me! Son of David, have mercy on me!"
Jesus, walking among the crowd, stops, "Call him" he says. Those among the crowd turn to the shouting blind Bartimaeus and says:
"Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."
Bartimaeus throws aside his cloak, jumps to his feet and came straight to Jesus. "What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asks. "Rabbi, let me recover my sight." Bartimaeus answers. Jesus replies: "Go your way; your faith as made you well."
Immediatly Bartimaeus recovered his sight and followed Jesus along the roadside.

Mark 10:46-52



I wonder if Bartimaeus sat along that road everyday? I wonder if anyone ever ask the blind beggar how he was doing? I wonder if he had any family or a friend? I wonder if he was lonely or ever scared? I wonder if he ever felted loved? I wonder if anyone ever showed him any compassion? I wonder what excitement and joy he felt when he heard through the crowd that Jesus Christ was walking along the very same road he sat at everyday? I wonder if it hurt when he cried out to Jesus and the crowd told him to be silent? I wonder what the crowd felt when Jesus told them to call Bartimaeus. I wonder if those same people telling the blind beggar to be silent were the same people telling him to: "Take heart. Get up; he is calling you"? I wonder what joy filled Bartimaeus' heart as he leaped up and threw his cloak aside when he heard Jesus was calling him? I wonder if Bartimaeus's cloak was the only thing he owned? I wonder what a joy it must have been to hear Christ's words: "Go your way; your faith as made you well."? I wonder if Christ was the first thing Bartimaeus saw when he received his sight?


Will I have compassion on the "Bartimaeus's" in my life or daily walk by and hush those crying out for mercy? Will I ignore those hurting and alone around me that I come in contact with on a daily base? Will I continue to cry out for His mercy and love when others around me tell me to be silent? Will I throw aside everything I owen and leap up and follow Jesus like Bartimaeus?




"Take heart. Get up; he is calling you."







Tuesday, October 5, 2010

TRUST

"Trust Me, My child," He says.
"Trust Me with a fuller abandon than you ever have before.
Trust Me , as minute succeeds minute, everyday of your life, for as long as you live.
And if you become conscious of anything hindering our relationship,
do not hurt Me by turning away from Me.
Draw all the closer to Me, com, run to Me.
Allow Me to hide you, to protect you, even from yourself.
Tell Me your deepest cares, you every trouble.
Trust Me to keep My hand upon you.
I will shape you, mold you, and perfect you.
Do not fear. O child of My love, do not fear.
I love you."

-Amy Carmichael