MARKAN MEDITATIONS

Meditations in the Gospel of St.Mark

St. Mark 10:46-52

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AS I read this familiar story of blind Bartimaeus, it is not so much the miracle of Jesus' power to heal his physical disability, but the application to the spiritual realm and our need for spiritual sight, which is uppermost in my mind. The miracle, of course, must not be forgotten, or the evidence it gives of the deity and Messiahship of Jesus. It is another sign from Jesus that he is the promised Saviour of the world.

All of us are born into this world blind in a spiritual sense. The things of God and the kingdom of heaven are out of our vision until the Lord gives us spiritual sight. We can't see Jesus as our Saviour and God unless he opens our spiritual sight so that we can see him. Further, even after our spiritual eyes have been opened, we continually need more light and understanding so that we may see Jesus more clearly and the truth about him and what he has done for us. Surely it is the deep desire of the Christian to have more light and to see Jesus more clearly and perfectly. How we long for a deeper insight into his Word, the Bible. We thank God for all the sight we have been given but we long for greater vision.

The important thing in this story is that Bartimaeus had his prayer for sight fully answered. The love of Jesus and his compassion was not satisfied with less. We may also believe this for ourselves in our desire for spiritual sight. It is the loving purpose of Jesus that we should not remain in darkness but have the light of life. In view of this the ingredients of this story are so important for us to note and copy.

Firstly, Bartimaeus had a deep confident trust in Jesus. He had a trust that he was the Christ. He called him the Son of David, so clearly showing he understood Jesus to be the promised King and Saviour. He had a trust in the power and willingness of Jesus to give him his sight. This faith was the seed bed for his prayer. He could not have prayed as he did if he did not believe this heartily. We will not pray or call upon God unless we have faith and earnestness like Bartimaeus, and we are told in Hebrews that without faith we can't please God.

Secondly, Bartimaeus prayed. As soon as he heard that Jesus was passing that way he began to pray. He did not give up praying until he had received the blessing. Such was his earnestness that he was not put off by the rebuke and opposition of the crowd. In fact this opposition only made him pray the more. This expressed the deep desire of his heart for sight. Jesus always responds to such heartfelt prayer. In fact the Bible promises that God hears when we pray with all our heart.

Thirdly, Bartimaeus prayed in the right and only way we sinners can pray to God. He knew that he had no claims on the Saviour. He knew that there was no merit in himself that he could bargain with before Jesus. Bartimaeus knew that Jesus owed him nothing, so he prayed in the only way possible. He prayed for mercy. He prayed for favour from Jesus he knew he did not deserve. This is the only approach we sinners can make to God. We must never come with bargaining or pleading any good in ourselves, for in God's sight there is none in us. We have fallen short of his glory and that is all that we can say.

What is true is that Jesus always responds in blessing and salvation to such humble heartfelt prayer. We never get beyond coming to God for grace, his undeserved favour, for we are debtors to mercy alone.

Lastly, Bartimaeus runs to Jesus as quickly as possible as soon as Jesus calls him. He was waiting and ready for the blessing he desired. There is no substitute for this alertness to hear every call and word from Jesus. We will not have our spiritual sight opened unless we are constantly waiting on God and ready, looking for him to give us more sight. We must come to the Bible expecting to be blessed. We must seek light in the Word of God, knowing that that is where light is to be found. If we do not study and meditate on the Word of God, and put ourselves under the sound of the Word of God, how can we be said to be running to Jesus when he calls. We will be like Bartimaeus if he had prayed with his ears blocked up so that he could not hear the call of Jesus.

Bartimaeus was not ashamed to be specific in his request. When Jesus asked him what he desired, he came out clearly with his desire. He wanted to see. There is nothing wrong with clear specific request to have our spiritual sight opened and deepened.

If our sight in the spiritual realm is to grow, there is no substitute for the way Bartimaeus sought his sight, and we must be like him as we seek light from the Saviour.