journey onWord with us

How must it have been to be an ordinary fisherman approached by the One who breathed the world into existence and to hear the very voice of God invite you to come follow Him?  What would it have been like to be a pedestrian standing on the street corner catching a glimpse of the God of the universe in human flesh as He walked by?  Can you even imagine looking into the face of Jesus?

Jesus is on His way to Jerusalem for the last time in His earthly life.  The time has come for Him to walk the final steps of God’s great redemptive plan.  The journey to Jerusalem passes through the city of Jericho, and Jesus has sacred appointments to keep.  As I think about both (and especially the one we will consider today), i am reminded of Jesus reading from the scroll of Isaiah one Sabbath day in the synagogue.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
Luke 4:17-18 (ESV)

As Jesus is leaving the city of Jericho, a blind man sits along the roadside.  As the group who is following Jesus passes by, the blind man asks someone near him what all the commotion is about.  He is told Jesus is walking by, and immediately the blind man begins calling out to him.  “Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:47b)  Those gathered in the crowd near the blind man attempt to quiet him.  “Don’t make a scene!” they are likely thinking in their hushes to the blind beggar.  “This is Jesus!  This is the Master!  He has a schedule to keep, more important places to be, and more important people to be with!”  But the man who was only blind physically, cries out even louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (Mark 10:48b)  He will not be silenced, because He believes in the power of the Great Healer.  In reading his conversation with Jesus, it is clear Bartimaeus has spiritual sight.  The loss of physical sight was his condition in this life, but He knew of Jesus and already believed.  In answer to his cries, Jesus stops and heals Bartimaeus’ physical sight.  In his choice to get up and follow Jesus after being healed, Bartimaeus’ spiritual sight is confirmed.

There is a brief and beautiful passage in a book I have from my grandfather Robb’s personal library.  Bible Characters contains excerpts from the sermons of three great preachers of the 1800’s.  In D.L. Moody’s section, there is an entry for Bartimaeus.  Mr. Moody tells a short fictional story based on the exchange between Bartimaeus and Jesus.  In it, Bartimaeus is speaking with a friend who is suggesting “There is a man of Israel who can give you sight.”  Bartimaeus quickly responds, “Oh, no!  There is no chance of my ever receiving my sight.  I never shall see.  In fact, I never saw the mother who gave me birth.  I never saw the wife of my bosom.  I never saw my own children.  I never saw in this world, but I expect to see in the world to come.”

Mr. Moody’s story suggests Bartimaeus never believed his healing would come on this side of heaven … but he did believe it would come.  The story of Jesus and Bartimaeus has multiple layers of resonance and application in our lives, and one of them reminds us of that truth.  If you have placed your faith and trust in Jesus and you are suffering on any level today, your healing is coming.

I can vividly remember standing in support of a deep friend and brother who lost the love of his life in this world to cancer.  I remember him confidently declaring to person after person that although God did not choose to heal his beloved wife here, she was healed now.  What an incredible and indelible message of courage and faith.  The faith of one who sees beyond the darkness and brokenness in this world.  Take heart, all you who are suffering and yet remain faithful.  Your healing is coming.