Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
November 15, 2023
Mark 10:46-52
46 Jesus and his followers came into Jericho. As Jesus was leaving Jericho, together with his disciples and a sizable crowd, a blind beggar named Bartimaeus, Timaeus’ son, was sitting beside the road. 47 When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth was there, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, show me mercy!” 48 Many scolded him, telling him to be quiet, but he shouted even louder, “Son of David, show me mercy!” 49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him forward.” They called the blind man, “Be encouraged! Get up! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his coat to the side, he jumped up and came to Jesus. 51 Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said, “Teacher, I want to see.” 52 Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” At once, he was able to see, and he began to follow Jesus on the way.
Good Morning. God blesses you!
There is a time to be quiet, and there is a time to shout. For Bartimaeus, this day was a day to shout. Despite the efforts of others to quiet him, he continued to shout until he was heard. The inner workings of group dynamics are interesting. When you walk down the hallways of a school, you hear many things. Particularly, you hear sounds. While one teacher raises his/her voice to get their students' attention, another might ring a bell or use other signals, while some teachers speak quietly. It took a while for me to realize the power of quietly getting the attention of a group.
In an emergency, shouting becomes necessary to ensure everyone knows the problem. When your child starts to run into the street, you shout for them to stop because your voice is the only thing that can reach them quickly enough. Bartimaeus had to get the attention of Jesus before he missed this opportunity. He didn’t question the ability of Jesus to heal; he believed that if he could speak to him, he would be healed.
Again, there is a time to be quiet, and there is a time to shout. Sometimes, we miss out on opportunities because we cannot take immediate action. We hem and haw, and then it's too late: we missed out. I pray that we can all be as sure as Bartimaeus and claim Jesus as our Lord. Like the foolish bridesmaids in Sunday’s gospel lesson, those who aren’t ready may miss their chance. Don’t get left on the wrong side of the door.
Heavenly Father, Thank you for loving us. Make us strong like Bartimaeus so we are ready to take action and ask for your healing. Thank you. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Thought for the day: Take action today, for we know neither the day nor the hour.
God loves us! Pastor Liz
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