Teach me, Dad

What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. (Mark 10:51)

 

Bartimaeus was the lucky guy to whom this question was addressed. He was blind, a beggar, and when he heard Jesus was passing by he began yelling, “Son of David, have mercy on me.”

The crowds tried to quiet him. If it was 2008, security would have tasered him. But he was desperate. No way was he going to let this opportunity slip by. 

A blind man in that day was helpless, hopeless, destined to sit by the road and spend his pathetic life begging. Bartimaeus knew this might well be his only hope of rising above his circumstances. He kept yelling, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Jesus turned and asked:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

Wow! I’m trying to imagine how that must have felt. Like Bill Gates handing you his ATM card and giving you the PIN number. What is it you need? Take my debit card. There’s enough in the account to cover it. Just take what you need!

What lesson can we take from Bartimaeus today? A couple of things. First, seize the opportunity when it presents itself. It may not come around again. Jesus may never have passed that way again. Bartimaeus knew it may be his one and only hope.

The other lesson? Persistence. Tenacity. Forget the detractors. Don’t listen to those who try to hold you back, hold you down.

If there is something you want, if you have a dream, a vision, go after it with your whole heart. Make no room for discouragement. Put away doubt. Cling to hope. Strengthen your faith. Then be ready to hear the words of Jesus:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

He’s still asking that question today of those who cry to him with their whole heart!

Wow! It’s been a year since I’ve posted. Where has the time gone? They say, “Time flies when you’re having fun,” or as Kermit the Frog once said, “Time’s fun when you’re having flies.”

I was in a head-on collision last year. Could have easily bought the farm – it was pretty serious. Some folks say they saw their whole life flash in front of their eyes. All I saw was my airbags. It’s probably what saved my life.

I go in for physical therapy twice a week and massage therapy twice a week. They put me on this stimulator machine that sends little shocks to various muscles.  Then there’s the stretching machine. My neck rests in a cradle and it pulls for fifteen minutes. A few more months on that thing and I’ll be six foot six. Of course, eighteen inches of it will be neck.

Thanks to those of you who have written recently and encouraged me to get back to blogging. I appreciate your kind comments. I will begin sharing some of my devotionals again, and I hope you’ll stop by when you can. Thanks, too, for all your prayers. It means more than you can possibly know.  

God bless and Aloha!