What Do You Want Me To Do For You?

Mark 10:46-52

They came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside.

When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"

Jesus stood still and said, "Call him here." And they called the blind man, saying to him, "Take heart; get up, he is calling you."

So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.

Then Jesus said to him, "What do you want me to do for you?" The blind man said to him, "My teacher, let me see again."

Jesus said to him, "Go; your faith has made you well." Immediately he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

This story is one of my favorites – I couldn’t pick just one or two verses. The thing is, I can see this story in my mind’s eye.  Bartimaeus, sitting on a street corner of my town – waiting for the parade that is accompanying Jesus at this point, calling out in hope, even when others want him to be quiet.  I admire his resolve, his faith that something better could happen for him, his willingness to jump up and leave his cloak behind when his name is called. I am in awe of his ability to tell Jesus what he wants, and then change his life and follow him, when his eyes are opened – both physically and internally, as he sees that his faith was justified, and this man Jesus is not just any man.  

I’m wondering what would we do if Jesus was passing by the street corner where we live. Would we call out to him?  Would we hope against hope that he could make a difference in our lives? What kind of cloak would we need to throw off, to be able to get up and go to him? What would we want him to do for us?

Reflection Questions:

1)     Are there things we are too afraid to ask for in prayers? Why might that be true?

2)   The cloak was weighing Bartimaeus down and he threw it off – what might be weighing us down that we need to throw off today?

3)   Try closing your eyes and imagining yourself in this scene. Did you discover anything about what you really want?

Prayer: Dear God – I am thankful for this story, and how it helps me see my own reality differently.  May it continue to speak into the lives of all who read it. Amen