And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.
— Mark 10:52
The story of Bartimaeus has always been one of my favorites. I think the thing that has always intrigued me the most is how his interaction with Jesus literally changed everything for him in a matter of a few minutes. When I read the scripture, I tend to sort of role play it out in my head. When I first think about Bartimaeus on that day, I can’t help but think that, to him, it was just another ordinary day. For Bartimaeus, there was no reason to believe this day was going to be any different from any other day. I am sure he woke up and started begging, just like he did every other day of his life.
However, this day was different. Jesus was in the neighborhood, and was near the place where Bartimaeus was begging. When he heard that Jesus was near, he began to shout, asking Jesus to notice him, to heal him. Jesus called Bartimaeus to his side and gave him what he requested. Bartimaeus didn’t know it when he woke up that morning, but by the time he sat down for supper he was going to have his sight and, more importantly, he would be in the presence of Jesus.
I don’t know about you, but I tend to get stuck in the monotony of the known. I know I am going to get up and take my kids to school. I know I am going to go to meetings throughout the day. I know I am going to spend some time counseling others and preparing sermons. If I am not careful, I can grow complacent in the known and miss the God opportunities that seemingly come out of nowhere. How about you?
What is it that has you sidelined? What is it that has you convinced that you should simply stay benched? In what ways have you allowed the enemy to convince you that the best God has for you is behind you? Why have you caved to the voices that say God can’t use you?
Bartimaeus was a blind beggar who heard that Jesus was in the area, and he immediately changed his plans for that day. I suppose you could say he was still begging, but it was for something far more significant. He took advantage of the opportunity to trust Jesus for more, and everything changed.
The scripture tells us that Bartimaeus received healing from Jesus and then began to follow Jesus. He received healing and then transitioned from a blind beggar to a passionate ambassador for our Savior.
You may think today is just going to be another Monday, but what if God has something more in store for you? What if today he wants to do more for you and then more through you?