Dan Van Ommen: Refuse to let Him pass you by
"Right there in the dust, he sat by the gate, to listen to footsteps and patiently wait.
That blind man just didn't dream that this was the day, that Jesus of Nazareth would pass by his way."
— Ralph Carmichael
A story is told in the New Testament Book of Mark (10: 45-52) of a blind man who was healed just outside of the city of Jericho. Blind Bartimaeus, as he was known, was not the first person to have been healed from a visual impairment. However, like all other accounts from Jesus' ministry, there's something meaningful that we can learn from this event.
What was so unusual about Bartimaeus? Nothing, really. He was an outcast, a beggar and a blind man; one among many in that day. What makes this man so different was his faith and determination to be healed.
Even before Bartimaeus had a personal encounter with Jesus, he believed him to be the Messiah. In Mark 10:47, we read these words, "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!"
Though people tried to get him to be quiet, Bartimaeus was completely focused on Jesus. He was bellowing out his need for redemption. His cries drew the attention of Jesus, who asked him what he wanted. "What do you want me to do for you?"
Bartimaeus' opportunity had come. For years, he'd sat by the side of the road, begging. He was helpless and hopeless; but he answered Jesus by shouting, "Oh teacher, I want to see!" Jesus spoke the word and Bartimaeus received his sight. "His faith," Jesus said, had made him whole.
I've always been impressed by how enthusiastically Bartimaeus called out to Jesus. He heard that Jesus was passing by, and knew he had one chance to be healed. Being blind, he wouldn't have been able to walk nimbly through the crowd seeking Jesus. He had one resource, and that was his voice. He was on a mission, and even though people "rebuked" him, he could not be deterred.
When Bartimaeus called out to Jesus, He stopped. To me, that's a pretty big deal. The savior of the world, awaited Messiah and future king of kings, stopped. He waited to hear Bartimaeus' request. How exciting and truly remarkable! Jesus stopped for a man most folks wouldn't have given the time of day. In fact, most people would have gone quickly in the opposite direction.
Another very interesting and colorful picture is painted for us in Mark 10:50. "Bartimaeus yanked off his coat and flung it aside, jumped up and came to Jesus." Why did Bartimaeus throw off his coat?
For Bartimaeus, this coat, or "cloak" served as an outer garment, and a blanket to protect from the chill of the night. Easton's Bible Dictionary defines the cloak as "an exterior tunic, wide and long, reaching to the ankles, but without sleeves."
Some scholars believe Bartimaeus may have used his cloak, spread out in front of him, as a kind of catch-all for coins that were tossed his way.
Another possible reason for Bartimaeus to throw off his coat, and fling it away, was more practical. He may have wanted to be free of any impediment as he ran to meet Jesus.
Just think if Bartimaeus had sat still and said nothing. That day, and the next, would have been like all the others before. He would've sat by the road begging, as he always did. He may have been physically blind, but he had 20/20 vision when it came to believing his life was about to change.
Maybe its time for us, like Bartimaeus, to forget about our "religious manners," lay aside the legalistic protocols and things that dictate what's supposed to happen and when. The Lord has always preferred spiritual hunger over religious ritual.
Let's reduce it to the basics and say, "Is that Him? I think He's in the area. I can hear Him getting closer." Let's not allow the Master to get close and then pass us by. Our cry should be the cry of Bartimaeus. "Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me."
If Jesus is near, good things can happen. As we encounter the one who is near, we will begin to see, by faith, the possibility of things we only dreamed could happen in our lives. Refuse to let Him pass you by!
— Dan Van Ommen is a Zeeland resident and a member of the Reformed Church in America. Contact him at dan.vanommen@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Dan Van Ommen: Refuse to let Him pass you by
