August 11, 2024

Passage Read: Mark 9-10
Meditation Verses: 10:51-52

Thought

Bartimaeus cried out for mercy, and Jesus stopped and called him over. When Jesus asked what He could do for him, Bartimaeus asked for his sight. Jesus said, "Go, your faith has made you well." Bartimaeus immediately regained his sight, but instead of going, he began following Jesus. He did not take what he could get from Jesus and go, he believed more than just that Jesus could give him his request. He believed Jesus was worth knowing and following. He knew of Jesus, and recognized his chance when he realized Jesus was passing by. How many other crowds had gone by on their way to Jerusalem for another feast? It was a lucrative time and location for those who depended on alms to survive. But this crowd was different; Jesus was in it! Here was his chance to be healed, and if healed, he would be able to follow after Jesus and learn more.

Application

How many of us come to Jesus just to get something we think we need, maybe healing, maybe some other blessing, maybe salvation, but we don't consider Jesus someone worth knowing. In effect, we take advantage of Jesus, we use Him for our own purposes. And He heals or blesses, but does He grant salvation to someone who doesn't care to know Him? Does such a person want to be saved? From Hell, yes. But to live with Him forever, where righteousness dwells? Perhaps not. We think we will be changed at Jesus's return, changed so that we actually care about and delight in righteousness from that point on. We will be changed, our bodies will, but our hearts and spirits should have been changed from the moment of salvation! We were supposed to have been made new at the time we believed! If I don't want to follow Jesus after receiving from Him what I asked, do I really even like Him? Do I understand and appreciate who He really is? The desire to know and follow Jesus is the sign of genuine, saving belief. Anything less could still lead to salvation, but is not quite there yet.