Open Our Eyes, Lord {31 Days of Imperfection – Day 19}

I think sometimes we get so blinded by our imperfections that we forget that we have a Savior who can heal if we’d just ask.  We forget that our imperfections may be the things that draw us closest to Christ.

Open our eyes, Lord.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was an ordinary day… like every other day.  I just sat, begging, by the side of the road.  Hoping that SOMEONE might notice me and give me something to eat. 

There was something going on… a big crowd going somewhere. I really have learned to figure out a lot of what’s going on around me just by what I hear.  I mean, I guess I don’t really have a choice when I can’t actually see what’s happening. 

It seemed like maybe just a group heading toward Jerusalem for the festival coming up later this week, nothing out of the ordinary… happens every year.  It’s fun to sit here and listen to the conversations of the families walking by, excited for the celebration in their future.  But this group seemed different than just another family.  I asked someone what was going on and they excitedly told me, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by!” before running off to catch a glimpse.  

I don’t know what came over me… it was completely out of character, but I just began to shout.  “JESUS!  SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!  JESUS!  SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!”  I was calling out again and again.   I didn’t know what it was inside of me, but there was something in my heart that just KNEW He was the One… He was the One who could heal me… and not just my eye sight.

As I shouted, everyone just kept telling me to be quiet and get out of the way.  But I just kept shouting louder and louder.

Later people told me that he stopped and said “Call him.”  But all I knew is that someone came up and said, “Cheer up!  On your feet! He is calling you.”  Jesus, of Nazareth… calling ME!  Before I could even think about what I was doing I threw off my cloak, jumped up and made my way toward him, not even caring that if, for some reason, he didn’t heal me, I’d have no way to find my cloak again.  And then, I heard his voice… the voice of Jesus….

“What do you want me to do for you?”

“Rabbi, I want to see.” was all I could mutter out in the presence of the great teacher.  

“Go” Jesus said, “Your faith has healed you.” 

I can see. 

I, Bartimaeus, yea, the blind man… can see!

He said “Go”, but really I couldn’t help but follow, for not only did I see the physical things around me for the first time… I could see that this man, this Jesus of Nazareth, was unlike any other…