“Do you remember the story of the blind beggar named Bartimaeus?” Stan asked me one morning.
“Maybe a little,” I replied. “Can you fill me in?”
“Quick summary,” Stan said. “Jesus and His disciples were on their way to Jerusalem. They had just passed through Jericho when they came upon this blind man named Bartimaeus who was sitting on the side of the road.”
Continuing, he added,”When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, he cried out and asked Jesus to have mercy on him. Jesus heard him, He stopped, and then asked Bartimaeus what he wanted.”
“Don’t you think that Jesus probably already knew what he wanted?” I asked.
“I do,” Stan replied. “I think Jesus knew, but He wanted Bartimaeus to say it, just like I think He knows what I want before I ask, but He wants me to ask anyway.”
“Why?”
“So I will get to know Him better,” Stan replied, “but that’s another story for another day. Let’s focus on what happened with Bartimaeus and what it seems to mean for a person’s faith walk.”
“Okay,” I replied. “What happened?”
“When Bartimaeus came before Jesus and Jesus asked him what he wanted,” Stan said, “he told Jesus he wanted to regain his sight.”
“Regain his sight,” I replied. “Does that mean he once had been able to see but somehow lost his sight?”
“I don’t want to make a bad pun,” Stan said with a smile, “but that’s what it looks like! But that’s not important.”
“What is?”
“What’s important is what happened after Jesus told Bartimaeus that his faith had made him well and Bartimaeus was able to see instantly.”
“What happened next?”
“Jesus told Bartimaeus to ‘go his way,’ but he didn’t go his way, he followed Jesus. And that’s what I think I’m supposed to do. And I think that’s what all of us are supposed to do once we have been able to see.”
“Once our faith has made us well, we are to follow God,” I said. “Is that it?”
“That’s it,” Stan replied. “Seems to me that’s the reason God makes us well with Him for eternal purposes, so we can be disciples following Him on this side of eternity while we wait for the train!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And Jesus said to him, “Go your way, your faith has made you well!” And immediately he received his sight and began following Him on the road. Mark 10:52.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” Luke 9:23-24.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of salvation and redemption through the cross of Jesus so I can be well for eternal purposes and know I will be in your presence when it’s time. Thank you, too, that you want me to be a disciple on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I do not follow you, but I choose to follow someone or something other than you, too often myself. Please forgive the foolishness of not following you however, wherever, and whenever you intend. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have your eyes been opened to see and accept God’s free and gracious provision of life with Him eternally when it’s time? If no, why? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing on this side of eternity in following where God has for you to go? Are you going “your way” rather than following Him? If you sense the need for change in how you see and follow, how is that change going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 