“Blindness has its compensations. It leads to a certain steadfast brooding upon thoughts, free from disturbing influences.” Alexander Maclaren
I can’t imagine being blind. But as I’ve been studying the biblical story of Bartimaeus, I’ve tried. To imagine it, that is. In fact, I’ve tried to imagine the whole story…to put myself in the crowd that day as Jesus was passing by.
Remember the story? Jesus, who would soon be faced with his own death, was walking with his disciples toward Jerusalem–toward the cross. As always, a great crowd thronged about him. Blind Bartimaeus, sitting on the side of the road, heard the stirrings of the crowd and asked what was going on. As soon as he heard that Jesus was passing by, he starting crying out to Jesus, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
The people in the crowd tried to silence him, but he cried out louder, with more desperation. “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
He called out to Jesus, not as his last resort, but as his only hope.
Undaunted by those who would silence him, Bartimaeus continued to cry out. Why? His was not a wishful, vague notion that maybe Jesus could help him. No. Bartimaeus recognized that Jesus held the answer to his problem, and nothing was going to stop him from gaining Jesus’ attention.
And suddenly, as if only now hearing Bartimaeus’ clamor, Jesus stopped.
Why?
God’s heart is moved by persistence. Persistent prayer. Persistent desire. Persistent belief.
As long-ago preacher Jeremy Taylor wrote, “God loves to be tied fast with…cords of love, and constrained by holy violence.” Wow.
Maybe God is waiting for you. Maybe He’s cupping is ear, hoping to hear your cry today. Will you call out to Him now? And again? And again, until you receive an answer?
Amy K. Rognlie 