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March 18 – Mark 10:46-52

“What do you want Me to do for you?” ~ Jesus in Mark 10:51 (NIV)


At first glance, Jesus’ question for Bartimaeus is odd. A blind man begging by the road cries out to a known Healer for mercy. Everyone in the crowd knew what the man wanted; everyone knew Jesus gave sight to the blind. The reputation of His miracles had spread throughout Israel by this time. And Jesus no doubt knew what the man wanted, too, but stopping to ask him showed Jesus’ relational love. Bartimaeus’s healing was about more than physically helping him see; it was also about him being seen. A blind beggar on the roadside was passed over regularly. He knew what it was like to be ignored and dismissed. But in his healing, he was seen by the Savior of the world! To Jesus, Bartimaeus wasn’t just another person to heal—he was Bartimaeus, God’s beloved child in need. Jesus showed the man love, respect, and a willingness to serve him in that one simple question.


And Jesus stopped to serve Bartimaeus when He was on His way to the cross. He had just been teaching His disciples the value of sacrifice and service (see Mark 10:42-45), and the encounter with Bartimaeus is an illustration of these teachings. Though Jesus knows He will soon suffer and die, He puts a blind man’s needs ahead of His own burdens.


Jesus still longs to engage us in relationship. We bring our needs to Him in prayer, not because He doesn’t already know them, but because He wants us to know we are seen by Him. When we draw near to Him, He looks on us with love, and whispers the same question—What do you want Me to do for you? Now, He will not always answer our prayers the way we would like, but He always does what is best for us—what will grow our characters, what will help us “walk by the Spirit” so that our lives produce the Spirit’s fruit (see Galatians 5:16-25). And we will find that when we regularly “jump to [our] feet” and come to Jesus like Bartimaeus, we will begin to be shaped by our relationship with Him.


Psalm 37:4 (NIV) says, “Take delight in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” The interesting thing about this spiritual principle is that the more we “take delight in the Lord”—the more we spend time with Him—the more our hearts’ desires will be conformed to His. He will open our eyes to His Kingdom and His will, and we will begin chasing the things He loves instead of worldly treasures and ambitions.


Bring your needs to your Savior today. He loves you, and He wants to hear all about the things that are on your heart. Know that you are seen by Him and that He wants to conform your heart to His. He knows you inside and out, but He still asks, “What do you want Me to do for you?” because as you answer that question in prayer, He cares for you and His Spirit works in your heart to heal many broken places—some of which you may even be unaware of. That’s how much your Savior loves you.

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vworrell50
Mar 18, 2021

Thank you for the reminder that Bartimaeus's healing was more than physical healing; it was also about him being seen. I love that. Thank you, Jesus, for loving me so much that you take the time to bend low, lend an ear to hear my prayers and see me; to know my heart. I love you Father, Son & Holy Spirit!


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My name is Melissa Anderson. I'm a spiritual director and ordained pastor who loves God, people, and words. You can read more about me by clicking the button below.

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