By Pastor Dr. Aggrey Soyekwo
Mark10:47-47 "When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" Jesus stopped and said, "Call him." So they called to the blind man, "Cheer up! On your feet! He's calling you." - NIV
Jesus is making His way through Jericho to Jerusalem. A huge multitude is following Him. A blind beggar hears the noise and asks what the multitude is about. He is told it Jesus of Nazareth passing by. Having heard of His various miracles, seeing he needed one, and realising it could be a once in a lifetime opportunity to get it, he shouts for mercy. No amount of rebuke could deter him. And Jesus stopped and called him.
Jesus demonstrated unconditional love on an otherwise neglected ‘useless’ blind beggar. With all the thousands around Him, the blind man’s cry would have easily gone unnoticed. His insistence, an act of faith, drew Jesus’ attention. And He stopped for him! Bartimeus got his sight because of his faith and Jesus’ love. He cares enough to notice even the most despised and the nobodies of society!
We are sometimes tempted to think we are too insignificant among so many to be noticed and attended to by God. May Bartimeus story reassure us that we are valuable enough to be noticed by God as long as we come to Him in faith. Cheer up! God knows you and calls you by name even among the billions in the world! Jesus loves you immensely and cares enough to meet your need!
1 Peter 2:9-10 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy."
Shalom children of God.