“As [Jesus] drew near to Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging.” Luke 18:35
The folks who might have supported this blind man (Bartimaeus), either weren’t able to or didn’t want to. The tragedy is that he ends up alone.
Bartimaeus hears the sound of the crowd and discovers that these people are traveling with Jesus (Luke 18:36-37), so he starts shouting, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (18:38). To call Jesus “Son of David” is to recognize that all God’s promises center on Him.
But “those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet” (18:39 NIV). That’s not surprising. The organizers aren’t always the world’s most compassionate people. So they tell Bartimaeus to “Shut up!”
“But he cried out all the more” (18:39). Bartimaeus isn’t going to let himself be pushed around by these self-appointed organizers. Then, “Jesus stopped and commanded him to be brought to him” (18:40).
Picture the drama: People everywhere. Jesus strides into town, and He stops in His tracks and “orders” the man to be brought to Him. That’s a strong word. I wonder if that means there was resistance from the organizers.
But Jesus won’t be put off, “Bring him to me!” The man comes right up to the Savior of the world. Looking into the man’s unseeing eyes, Jesus says, “What do you want me to do for you?” (18:41). This is intensely personal.
Try to hear the risen Lord Jesus asking you this question today. Try to stand in the shoes of Bartimaeus. The Son of God has a question for you: “What do you want me to do for you?”
