I was honored to share these words at church on Sunday and wanted to post them on the blog as well! I pray that they encourage you and point you to the Father!

There’s someone who would love to hear from you today… God the Father! He is on the edge of His throne, watching, waiting, bending His ear, longing to hear from you. 1 Peter 5:7 says “Cast all your cares on Him, because He cares for you.”

It’s says to cast all… not some. Not just the big ones. Not just the seemingly important ones. ALL of them. Why? Because God the Father cares about every single one of your cares. He’s concerned with every one of your concerns.

That word cast in the Greek means to “cast off, to throw off; to throw upon, place upon; to give up to God.” I believe today is the today to throw off something that hinders, something that’s holding you back, something that’s weighing you down. It’s time to walk in greater freedom with your Heavenly Father. Amen?

I want to share a story with you about a man who cast off something and received something so much greater.

“Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging.” – Mark 10:46

Outside of Jericho, known as “the place of fragrance”, we find this blind beggar, this poor man who has sat in darkness his whole life. Scholars believe he inherited a disease from his father, who was also blind.

“When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’ Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!'” – Mark 10:47-48

Bartimaeus couldn’t see, but he could hear… he heard that Jesus was in the neighborhood. He not only had heard about this Jesus, and all the healings and miracles, about all the blind eyes he had opened… he also heard him coming amidst the crowd, leaving Jericho.

Bartimaeus couldn’t see, but he could speak… he used what he had. His voice. His cry was authentic, desperate even. Maybe rumors were spreading that Jesus would be dying soon; by now he had predicted his death a few times to his disciples. Maybe Bartimaeus thought this was his last chance to have an encounter with Jesus.

“Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’ Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.” – Mark 10:49-50

Bartimaeus had caught Jesus’ attention. Jesus invited him to come near. This was the moment he had waited for his whole life. A chance to see. To break out of the darkness and isolation. It may seem like a small detail, but by faith Bartimaeus threw off his cloak… his current way of living… his identity as a blind beggar… one of his only possessions, a source of comfort and familiarity. He threw off what he knew, jumped to his feet, and came to Jesus.

“Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Bartimaeus said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’ ‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.” – Mark 10:51-52

Bartimaeus knew what he wanted, and he wasn’t afraid to ask Jesus for it. And Jesus healed him; he did what only he could do.

And did you catch what Bartimaeus did with his gift of sight? He could have run home to his parents, to his blind father, rejoicing in what Jesus had done. He could have turned back to the crowd and given glory to God. He could have gone back to Jericho, to the place he had smelled but never seen.

Instead, he honored the One who healed him and followed in his footsteps. The story could end there, and that’s amazing! Jesus healed a man who had been blind from birth. But if you keep reading, in the very next verse, it says “As they approached Jerusalem…” (Mark 11:1).

You see, Jesus was heading to Jerusalem to lay down his life. So this trek from Jericho to Jerusalem, where a blind beggar shouting for mercy stopped the Son of God in his tracks? It was leading up to the Triumphal Entry.

The beginning of Holy Week. Jesus riding into town on a donkey, palm branches waving and cloaks paving the road, listening to the shouts of “Hosanna!” Can you picture it? What a sight for Bartimaeus to behold! To go from utter darkness, a blind beggar, the lowest of the lows… to healed and whole, following Jesus, an eye-witness.

“What do you want Me to do for you?”

I believe God the Father is whispering those words to us today because He cares.

In his commentary of this passage, Jon Courson wrote: “May today be the day you receive the direction, instruction, and revelation you need. May you cry out until Jesus stops in front of you. May you cry out until the Son stands still. And may you join Bartimaeus in following Him anew.”

This is my prayer for you! That you would remember that Jesus made a way for us to come close to the Father, to draw near, to boldly approach His throne… that you would cry out like Bartimaeus with humility, tenacity and expectancy… and that you would receive from the Father, who truly cares about you.

“Your future is bright and filled with a living hope that will never fade away.” – Proverbs 23:18

This Week’s Song Suggestions:

• You Came (Lazarus) by Jonathan & Melissa Helser
• You Always Restore (Winter is Over) by UPPERROOM