Mark 10:49-52 (NIV): Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”
So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
“What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”
“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Baritmaeus’ passionate cries had the desired effect. They stopped everything until he had a chance to bring his request before the Lord. Jesus had called him into His presence, and Bartimaeus threw off his cloak, and strode right up to Him, confident, because he had been invited.
Jesus’ question was simple: “What do you want me to do for you?” There was no need to wonder about Bartimaeus’ faith – he had demonstrated that abundantly by calling out, and by coming into Jesus’ presence when invited. All that remained was for Bartimaeus to speak his request, and the miracle would follow.
There was no hemming and hawing. There was no long list of wants that Bartimaeus brought with him to Jesus. He didn’t ask for money or resources. He didn’t ask for good health or long life. He had only one shot with Jesus, and He had to make it count. So he brought only a single request, the very desire of his heart: “Rabbi, I want to see.”
Jesus didn’t touch him; He spoke no specific words of healing; there was no show of power, no lights flashing, no hairs being raised on the back of necks. He simply told Bartimaeus to go – that his faith had healed him. And immediately he could see! He could see everything! It was amazing! Wait until his family and friends found out!
He turned to thank Jesus, but saw that the whole crowd was movin on, out of the city, and toward Jerusalem. Bartimaeus didn’t even pause a moment t think about what to do. He knew what he HAD to do. He followed Jesus out of the city.
Father, how often when I come to You do I come with a long list of requests? And not just my own, but numerous requests from others as well. How often do I rattle those requests off to You like reading a laundry list, bringing them before you with neither passion nor power? Lord, help me always to remember what a huge privilege it is to be invited into Your presence to bring my requests. What an amazing thing it is to hear You ask, “What do you want me to do for you?” Help me, Lord, at that moment, to focus all of my heart and mind on You, and to make that one request that is at the very center of my heart; the one request that will make all of the other things fall into place. I know that it will take me some time and some careful consideration to understand what that one thing is, but I believe with all my heart that it will be well worth it. Amen.