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Essentials for a Miracle:using what you have

by Grace Tom-Lawyer  
9/28/2014 / Christian Living

A careful search through Scriptures will reveal that almost everyone who got a miracle was involved. God loves to work for and through us. Several examples abound both in the Old and New Testament but one of my favourite examples is the story of blind Bartimaeus in Mark 10:46-52.

Now they came to Jericho .As He went out of Jericho with his disciple, and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus sat by the road begging"-verse 46

So Jesus had come into Jericho and was going out of Jericho. Chances are that a miracle crusade had perhaps taken place in Jericho. Bartimaeus could not be part of that miracle service as he was incapacitated to an extent by his blindness. So the first time we meet him in Scriptures he is sat begging at a strategic position, on the road with the likelihood of a lot of pedestrians and commuters whose bowels of compassion would be touched when they saw him. Although he could not see them, he knew this location was guaranteed to bring him maximum income .It may have been more convenient for him to beg at his house but he knew that He could not rise beyond the level of what he was exposed to and who he saw him. He exercised the law of good positioning.

And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus ,Son of David, have mercy on me".-verse 47

Secondly he heard. Bartimaeus was only blind but not deaf. He heard about Jesus. This means he was inquisitive enough to ask questions and intelligent enough to find out about the ministry of Jesus. Although he did not have a Facebook or Twitter account yet he followed Jesus closely by word of mouth. For him to have received an answer, it meant that he asked other people and was patient enough to listen for the answers and gather facts. Bartimaeus was not into self-pity or so sour that he could not talk to other people. He must have had the kind of personality that made people converse with him.

Thirdly, he heard it was Jesus of Nazareth which meant he was specific in his questions. There were many people called Jesus during that time but Bartimaeus was well acquainted with current affairs to know that this Jesus was the one from Nazareth.

Fourthly he began to cry out. Several years of begging had given Bartimaeus the kind of tone and pitch of voice that could arouse attention and sympathy. It was a voice that followed passer-by's who did not drop any contribution into his plate sometimes. This sometimes made some of them return and put a contribution into his plate. He had perfected the art of crying and shouting while begging that it was easy for him to use his loud voice this time and it sounded above the voice of the crowd following Jesus and the several others who wanted his attention.

Fifthly, we see that Bartimaeus had done a background check on Jesus. He had checked his ancestry and was correct. He had a knowledge that set his CV apart from those of the others who wanted Jesus's attention. He cried out "Jesus, Son of David".

Sixthly, what he cried out was "have mercy on me". He was strategic in his plea. He knew the character of Jesus and in modern terms, we would say he had read up about the company properly. David, an ancestor of Jesus was a man acquainted with mercy and that Jesus also delights to show mercy .This specific cry for mercy put the nail on the head.
"Then many warned him to be quiet ; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!".

Seventhly, he was a man of determination and purpose. The crowd warned him to be quiet but he cried out all the more. He was not easily discouraged and his inner vision allowed him to pursue his dreams inspite of the obstacles. We see that this persistent cry paid off as the next verse records that Jesus stood still and commanded that he should be called (verse 49).

Interestingly enough , the crowd who told him to be quiet were the same people who told him to be of good cheer and to rise and meet Jesus(verse 49) . Bartimaeus was a man of discernment. He knew when to listen to people .He listened enough to know about the Jesus he had not seen and what he could do and he knew when to turn a deaf ear to distractors.

Ninthly, after he was called, he threw aside his garments. He shook off the beggarly clothes and refused to be defined by his past. He did not allow his history to become a deterrent to his destiny(verse 50).

So Jesus answered and said to him,"What do you want me to do for you?"verse 51

Tenthly, Bartimaeus did not have a bad attitude at his apparent boss, he was humble enough to still say his need no matter how obvious it was. It is important to appreciate the depth of knowledge he had acquired about Jesus by noting that when he finally approaches Jesus , he calls him another name "Rabboni" meaning teacher.

Finally, Jesus told him to go his way as his faith had made him well and immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road(verse 52). He did not stop after obtaining a miracle. Now his circumstances had changed, it was possible for him to now follow Jesus personally.

We see that on the way to getting his miracle, Bartimaeus used what he had. Amongst his several talents were a loud sonorous voice, being a good communicator, ability to use strategic positioning to mention a few. Loss of physical sight and being at the mercy of others did not hamper his inward vision .

We can all look around ourselves and search inwardly to harness the gifts and talents we already have as we wait to receive what only God can do and give. We can start from what we have.

Grace Tom-Lawyer is a writer who lives in the United Kingdom and loves to share a message that brings dignity to the lives of people with a passion for the practical application of Biblical truths in everyday living.
2014 Grace Tom-Lawyer. All rights reserved.
wwwflourish.blogspot.co.uk

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