Lindsay Roberts – First of five parts
In Mark 10, we find the wonderful story about the day that Jesus and His followers passed through Jericho. There, they encountered blind Bartimaeus sitting by the highway side begging. To me, Bartimaeus is one of the best examples we have in the entire Bible of a person who has been set totally free! Bartimaeus wasn’t only healed of blindness, but he was totally set free of the “condition” of being blind that affected every part of his being.
There are four steps Bartimaeus had to take in order to become totally free. These same four steps are required of each one of us too, if we want to be set free.
Bartimaeus did not stand out much in the Bible when Jesus first met him. He was a beggar. Picture in your mind someone, perhaps in the downtown area in your city, who has not bathed for a long time, his clothes have not been laundered for several weeks, and possibly all of his worldly possessions were carried in an old, worn-out laundry bag. Picture that person sitting by the side of the street begging. Think about the abuse they take, the mocking they have to absorb, the garbage they have to sort through in order to find enough to eat. A beggar is totally dependent on what others give to him, leave for him, or throw his way.
That was the picture of Bartimaeus’ life. He sat daily by the side of the highway in hopes that somebody passing by would toss him something that would be enough to sustain his life. And Bartimaeus became dissatisfied with that. He reached the place where he wanted more!
Do you find yourself in a situation in which you are dissatisfied? Are your needs being met? Do you have needs in the areas of health or finances or relationships with others or with God? Friends, I believe God has MORE for you! I believe God can meet our needs, but first it takes something for us to do. If we are dissatisfied with where we are in any area of our lives, we must let that dissatisfaction with our present way of life become our first step toward a better future in Him.
