Jesus and Blind Bartimaeus (Nico Marais)

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“Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?”

“Lord, I want to see,” he replied.
Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.

Luke 18:40-43

I like the way Luke shares this story just after the parable Jesus told about the persistent widow (Luke 18:1-8) ‘to show them that they should always pray and not give up.’ (Luke 18:1).  This beggar, Bartimaeus, does just exactly what Jesus told the people to do:  he was persistently calling on the Lord.  And Jesus hears Him and heals Him. The Psalms are full of examples of people who called on the Lord persistently.  Their cries are always heard and the response is always praise, as with this blind beggar near Jericho.
Jesus asks him what He can do for him.  I’m sure Bartimaeus didn’t ask Jesus for an opportunity to praise Him more.  He had a very real, sincere request.  His response to Jesus healing him is, I believe, just as sincere: praise!  Maybe it’s time we try to be less religious in our praise and bring before God our real, sincere requests instead of ‘earning’ His grace.
Do you have something so important to you that you would pray for it continually for as long as it takes?  Has God answered a prayer you’ve been praying for a long time?  How do you respond?

A Prayer: Jesus, thank you that you hear our prayers.  Thank you that our prayers are never in vain.  Help me be persistent in my prayers and give me the faith I need to carry on praying them until you answer. Ignite in me the fire of persistent prayer and gratitude.  Amen.

Nico Marais

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