“…blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.” (Mark 10:46-47 KJV).

We do not know how long Bartimaeus had been blind. He could have been born blind. He could have been involved in an accident that took his sight. We do not know the circumstances surrounding his blindness. All that is known is he was unable to see! And for a blind person in those days, the only means of surviving was to beg! It had to be a degrading existence!

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was passing by, for the first time in his life hope sprang up within him! He, no doubt, had heard of Jesus! He had heard accounts of Jesus opening blinded eyes! And when he learned that Jesus was near, he cried out to Him: “Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.” The people near him tried to silence him, but Bartimaeus refused to be silenced! Jesus was near! Only Jesus could help him! So he cried out even more (vs. 48)! Jesus heard his desperate cry! And Jesus answered his cry! There is something about the desperation that uniquely touches the heart of God!

We are surrounded by blind people; people whose eyes, hearts, and minds have been blinded by the adversary to the Truth of the Gospel (2 Cor. 4:4). But unlike Bartimaeus, they do not know they are blind! They cannot cry out for mercy because they don’t even know they need it! Therefore, it falls to us, the Redeemed (those whose eyes have been opened) to cry out for mercy on their behalf! Just as Jesus heard the desperate cry of Bartimaeus, so will He hear our desperate cry for the souls of those we love! No matter what others may say, let us not be silenced! Let us continue to cry out to Him! Jesus is near! He will hear! And He will answer!

Rev. James W. Black