When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me! – Mark 10:47 – NIV
INTRODUCTION
Each one of us has a personal brand, something that we’re well known or noted for, whether we know it or not. Our personal brand may be reflected by the unique way in which we style our hair, the way we laugh or even the way we speak. Regardless of our personal brand, sometimes we must break the status quo in order to be heard or noticed.
At other times, we simply need to make a nuisance of ourselves if we want something badly enough. These statements may sound extreme especially if we’ve never been in the shoes of Bartimeus, the blind man mentioned in the Bible.
Bartimeus Brand!
- Blind Bartimeus, as many in Christendom know him, was at his usual spot doing his usual thing when he heard a large crowd passing by. Let’s take note of this: Bartimeus was blind but he was not deaf. He was blind but he was not mute or lame or deficient in any of his other senses. He could not see what was happening but his other senses were working sufficiently well enough for him to be able to detect the smells and sounds of several people walking past. He must have been curious about this unusual occurrence in his otherwise routine lifestyle. And so he enquired about what was happening and was told that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by.
- Bartimeus must have thought to himself: ‘Jesus of Nazareth passing by my doorstep today?? This opportunity is too good to be true. I’m not passing it up for anything. I’ve waited all my life to see and if this Man is truly who they say He is, I’m going to give it all I’ve got if that is going to get my sight restored.’ Without thinking much about it, Bartimeus began to cry out ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And when those around him tried to hush his cries, we’re told that he cried out even harder (Mark 10:48). This reaction must have annoyed and even embarrassed those around him. You and I know this thing about human nature – how we try to comport ourselves well in the presence of those we revere and admire, to the extent that we want to dissociate with anything or anyone that seems out of place, undignified or unrefined.
- And here we are with Bartimeus whose brand was already unsavoury: the blind beggar brand. To make matters worse, this blind beggar was now hollering like a lunatic, like a very uncivilized person and he wasn’t ready to stop until he got the attention he needed. And truly, his hoarse, unrefined, and unapologetic shouts did not go unheeded. Jesus Christ heard him and paid attention to him.
God’s Mercy
- If you’ve never been in a desperate situation, you may never understand what Bartimeus did. When the odds are against us, when the situation looks and is impossible, when we are faced with the reality that something we need is completely out of our reach, we will understand the need for God’s mercy. When we cry out for God’s mercy, what we’re saying is this: God do not deal with me according to my foolishness and my sins. God intervene for me even though I know I don’t deserve this. God, make a way for me because I’ve tried every option I know and it only brought me to a dead end. God, this is the last chance I have for restitution and only You have the power to restore me. When we cry out for God’s mercy, we are confessing that He alone has the power to overthrow and nullify judgements, decisions, and rulings that work against us. We are admitting that without Him, we cannot make it through the darkness of the insecurity and limitations that life has thrust upon us.
- Often, we do not know how much of God’s mercy we need until we actually need it. It takes a certain situation, a peculiar and unprecedented one to bring us to the realization that we need God’s mercy. When we are confronted with the reality of mortality, we realize our need for God’s mercy. When we are faced with the brevity of time, we realize that we need God’s mercy to fulfill our purpose and calling in Christ on time before we are called home to glory. When we witness the sudden relapse or rapid physical deterioration of someone who was once so full of strength, we recognize our need for God’s mercy so that we don’t suffer the same fate. When we realize how much we’ve messed up, how steeped we are in sin, we need no one to tell us that we need God’s mercy.
- A genuine cry for mercy is never glamourous, never refined. We cry out for mercy from the depths of our heart, in raw anguish, because we see ourselves face to face with the reality of our wretchedness, our helplessness, our limitations. In crying out for mercy, we see no one except God. The sentiments and pointing fingers of the crowd do not matter – we’re pressing in to see God and that’s all that matters. In crying out for mercy, we are quick to put aside our brand no matter how impressive or luxurious it may be. Mark 10:50 tells us that when Jesus Christ asked Bartimaeus to come, he (Bartimeus) cast aside his garment and stepped forward to move towards the Messiah.
We do not know what Bartimeus’ garment looked like but what we all know for sure is this: a garment is used as a covering over the body. Whether his was black or white, washed or unwashed, smelly or fragrant, it was his garment. It was this garment that had been covering him until Jesus Christ called him over. Bartimeus’ garment was like his brand – it was synonymous with who he was and what he did. It was the garment of a blind beggar.
CONCLUSION
To God be the glory that when we call to Him for mercy, He does not first consider the type of garment that we’re wearing. He is not bothered by the nuisance we make of ourselves just to get His attention. As many times as we need and ask for His mercy, His promises remain true:
‘The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases His mercies are new every morning’ (Lamentations 3:22-23)
‘…. mercy triumphs over judgement’ (James 2:13)
‘Call unto me and I will answer and show you great and marvelous things’ (Jeremiah 33:3)
‘… He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him’ (Hebrews 7:25)
Wherever we are today, may we refuse to be restrained and constrained by the crowds surrounding us. May we be bold enough to defy the expectations and regulations of the status quo – if in doing so, our cry of mercy will be heard by the Lord our God.
May we be liberated from the limitations of our personal brand for a moment, (the brand of refinement, the brand of composure, the brand of self-sufficiency, etc) so that we can cry out for God’s mercy whether in the solitude of our rooms or in the full glare of the public.
As for God, His ways are mercy and truth with those who keep His covenant and His testimonies (Psalm 25:10). And all His promises to us are yes and amen in Christ Jesus. He will hear our sincere cries for mercy and He will answer us. Selah.
- Authored by: Hannah Arabella for Salt & Light Ministries
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