August 22 / Mark 10:46-52

Mark 10:46-52

Let’s remember to pray for Jim and Marty.

“Notice what you notice.” I love Bartimaeus’ reaction to Jesus’ invitation: Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus. (v. 50) I’m sure it’s been said by dozens of preachers, “That’s how we need to respond to Jesus. When He calls us, we need to throw aside whatever else we are doing and come to Him.” It sounds so simple, but others responded to Jesus’ wedding invitation parable with “I have married a wife…” and “I have bought a piece of land…” and “I have bought five yoke of oxen…”. (Luke 14:18-20) Unfortunately we each can probably identify with one of those excuses (or one of our own making) for not “jumping up” to follow Jesus. Or how about, “Here I am <Lord>, send me.” (Isaiah 6:8) Can anyone identify with Isaiah?

Note the crowd’s reaction to Jesus’ call to Bartimaeus – from admonishing him and telling him to be quiet to calling him and saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.” (v. 49b) I wonder at our Lord’s reaction to their reversal. Does He chastise them for being fickle, from rebuke to encouragement? Or does He rejoice that the crowd has had that change of heart? I presume that He is happy that the crowd got it right in the end. But does He sometimes get exasperated at our own hesitation to do what is right? What is Paul’s answer to our hesitation? “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (II Corinthians 6:2) Let your yes be yes and your no be no. (Matthew 5:37) Let’s be YES, folks!

Slava Bohu!