October 27, 2024

Mark 10:46-52

In this Gospel story, as Jesus is going on his way, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, hears that Jesus is passing by.  He starts to call out loudly, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”  People around him try to hush him up, but he keeps calling Jesus loudly.  Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.”  When he had come near, Jesus asked him what he wanted. Bartimaeus replied, “My teacher, let me see again.”  Jesus replied, “Go; your faith has made you well.”  Immediately he regained his sight and followed Jesus on the way.

Several things have happened in this story.  One is that Bartimaeus calls out for Jesus with his whole heart, soul, mind, and body.  He single-mindedly calls on the Lord, impervious to what others think.  And his loud, sincere cries reverberate in the heart of Jesus.  It is as if the vibrations and reverberations make it inevitable that Jesus will respond to the man.  He asks that the man be brought near.  After they speak, the healing energy of the reverberations extend to the man, and he is healed immediately.

Just so when we call on the Lord with sincerity, he hears us. God hears our cries, as he told Moses at the burning bush.  Jesus heart is touched and moved, and he almost can’t help but heal when that happens. So here we learn about calling on the Lord in our hearts with sincerity. This is what it means when Jesus says, “Your faith has made you well.” 

Secondly, Bartimaeus is healed immediately.  So many communications and prayers and changes wrought by the Lord are immediate. How long does it take God to heal or to change mental patterns?  No time. It does not have to take time.  It can be immediate or gradual, fast or slow.  But there is nothing to prevent transformation from being immediate, that is, in no time, outside time.

Thirdly, not only are his eyes healed, but he is spiritually healed as well.  We know this because he immediately becomes a follower of Jesus, or at least follows him on the way.  How often when we pray for healing, the person is healed spiritually as well. 

Personal: Your heart is sad.  People and phenomena do not always cooperate the way we want them to but new doors will open, you will see.  Time to rest.