It has been said that there is a vacuum in our spiritual hearts that only God can fill. Perhaps, you the reader, sense a longing and have sought to find the solution to that deep inner need but do not know yet the path. Read and watch with your eyes the blind Bartimaeus to learn how to find The Way, The Truth, The Life.
Journeying on his way to the cross Jesus stops for a brief stay in the rich and swelling city of Jericho. But, not all are rich, not all have homes to which they can return, not all have the means to sit at a restaurant to be fed by the hands of others. In fact, if you are like Bartimaeus you are homeless, destitute and without sufficient means have had to turn to begging. This is where we find him as Jesus leaves this city for his last leg of his cross journey. There are others such as the disciples walking with Jesus. Perhaps others too of the city of Jericho desire just a glimpse of this Nazarene and the swelling crowd and escalating noise could be a hindrance to someone like Bartimaeus who has been left to sit where he has always sat…by the roadside. Yet, none of this will deter him once he is told that the Nazarene is passing by. He could not find Jesus due to his blindness but he had a voice and with it he would call unto the Nazarene “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” No one else had used that title before but somehow Bartimaeus had put 2 and 2 together to realize, unlike the Pharisees, that this was The Messiah. Many scolded him to get him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” He had a need and he knew one thing: Jesus was the answer.
Perhaps, you like Bartimaeus, are sitting by the roadside in your spiritual blindness. Others are scolding you from considering him but your faith propels to be bold. Know this, Jesus being divine though human hears the cry of the heart as well as the cry of one like Bartimaeus. If you are determined the Nazarene is just waiting for you to call unto him.
Beloved, Jesus is waiting to hear your cry for mercy and for healing of your heart. If you have faith, He will hear and He will heal. Jesus heard and saw the faith of Bartimaeus and announced: “Go, your faith has healed you” and He will do the same for you. “he turned toward me and heard my cry for help.” [Ps 40:1]
