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Scripture for the day: Mark 10:50-52 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.”
Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Thought for the day: I know, this isn’t a Christmas passage. Or is it? Where are the shepherds? Where is the manger and the cattle lowing and the star guiding the wise men? For that matter, where is the little baby? Well, they’re all in this incident that took place many years later in the town of Jericho. Look again.
We know this portion of scripture as the story of blind Bartimaeus and his encounter with Jesus. He was blind, helpless and without hope. He could do nothing to elevate himself or make himself well. The poor man was practically unnoticed by all who passed him by; he was invisible to the uncaring world that surrounded him. As he began to cry out to Jesus, many told him to be quiet, to stop bothering people. They thought he had no real value. After all, what could he produce? What could he contribute to the community? He wasn’t like the rest of the population; not up to their standards of value. Oh, and by the way, who were these people who told him to hold his tongue? They were the good church folks, the disciples, the followers of Christ who just didn’t get it.
So, what makes this an Advent story? “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly…. God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:6,8). If that’s not the purpose of Advent, I’ve been getting it wrong for a lot of years now! Look again at Bartimaeus. He represents the entire broken world, sitting, as it were, in the dust and dirt of sin. Only when Jesus enters the picture does hope come alive. And with that hope, comes determination, an overwhelming desire that Jesus would hear us over the noise of the crowd or the confusion of life.
For that determination, Bartimaeus was rewarded. Jesus stopped, called him from the dirt, and addressed him personally. When hope was born, Bartimaeus threw off his coat (which represents his cloak of self-righteousness) and moved as quickly as possible to the feet of the Savior. When Jesus had his complete attention, He asked that most important question: “What do you want Me to do for you?” What’s holding you back? What’s broken in your life?
Bartimaeus answered the only way he could; “I want to see!” His need wasn’t for a few more coins, help getting home, or the ability to cope with his condition as it was. His need, our need, was much more fundamental. He knew that if he could just receive his sight, everything else would take care of itself. No majoring on the minors for Bartimaeus; he went right to the heart of the problem.
And the response? “Go your way; your faith has healed you.” Emmanuel – God with us! Wherever God has entered the events of humanity, there is hope, there is healing, and there is mercy. Where the Savior is, there is forgiveness and restoration. Where the Savior is there is wholeness and healing. “Cheer up! He’s calling you.” In the confusion of life, in the blindness of our sins, we have all been found as helpless outcasts. We’ve all been unable to do anything for ourselves. Advent reminds us that, “When the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son …. to redeem those who were under the law …. Therefore, you are no longer a slave but a son, and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:4-7)
Now go take on your world. - Bill