Slices
Prepare
What helps us really see? How do we look with more than just our eyes?
Bible passage
Blind Bartimaeus receives his sight
46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means ‘son of Timaeus’), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’
48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’
49 Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’
So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’ 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.
51 ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ Jesus asked him.
The blind man said, ‘Rabbi, I want to see.’
52 ‘Go,’ said Jesus, ‘your faith has healed you.’ Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
Explore
‘Let every veil that blinds us from seeing the design of God for our lives be lifted so that we can dance the divine choreography,’ the pastor said as he was teaching about prayer. One person quipped, ‘But I am not blind; I can see.’ The pastor smiled and asked him, ‘Are you sure? Can you really see? Do not forget that sometimes people with vision challenges can see with their hearts more clearly than those who think they can see. A wise thing to do is to constantly pray: Lord, I want to see.’
Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was coming to town and so he shouted out to him for mercy. Though the crowd tried to hush him he caught the attention of Jesus who called him near. Throwing aside his cloak, Bartimaeus came to Jesus and Jesus asked him, ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ That is a very challenging question for Jesus to ask – it does not always have an obvious answer, although it did in this case. If Jesus asked you that question today, what would your response be? Would you look to respond ‘Lord, I want to see’ with Bartimaeus, or would it be something else? As we ponder this question, do we think there is a difference between what we want and what God sees that we need?
Respond
Pray: ‘Help me, O Lord, to have the right answer when Jesus asks me next time: “What do you want me to do for you?”’
Bible in a year
Read the Bible in a year: Isaiah 39,40; Psalm 106
Pray for Scripture Union
Please pray for Rob Steward, Regional Mission Team Leader in the north, as he plans a new residential in the north of England for children with no church connections. Pray for new team members, the right venue and wisdom in when to run the holiday.
