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.
Devotional
Bartimaeus has an incredibly energetic faith. He shouts. Then he shouts louder. Then when the people who seem to be silencing him suddenly tell him to get up, he springs to his feet. He is excited about Christ. The apparently healthy people around him don’t seem to share that excitement. It’s the blind man who seems to truly see what’s happening—we’ve seen this before in Mark. Notice how Jesus responds to Bartimaeus. Jesus doesn’t say, “Your sight is restored.” Jesus responds by saying, “Your faith has made you well.” This emphasis on being “well” should also sound familiar. Jesus isn’t only concerned with Bartimaeus’ sight, Jesus is concerned with making him well. Even better than that, Jesus charges him to “go.” Bartimaeus is made well in order that he can go out and live. He is called to action.
Message provided by the Miller Summer Youth Institute.