Living in the Image of God M03S18
Based on Jesus interactions regarding a blind man Bartimaeus, we learn the benefits of persistence and specificity in prayer and understand the individual responsibility to assist others in their prayer and effort. Bartimaeus was begging by the roadside when he realized Jesus was passing and recognized an opportunity to seek for better. His behavior illustrates persistence in prayer and human effort, even when others or circumstances appear to discourage you. Further, Christ’s question to Bartimaeus—What do you want me to do for you—is a call to every person to seek specificity in prayer, to understand your prayer purpose better and seek alignment of your purpose with God’s purpose. Also, his instruction to the other people underscores the individual responsibility to assist others in their prayer and effort.
In this bible study, we discuss Christ interactions regarding a blind man named Bartimaeus. We discuss what he told Bartimaeus regarding prayer and what he told others regarding their interactions with Bartimaeus. Based on the blind man’s behavior, we learn about recognizing an opportunity to seek for better through prayer and human effort. Also, we learn about persistence in prayer and effort even when other people or circumstances appear to discourage you.
Bartimaeus was sitting by the roadside begging when he realized that Jesus was passing, accompanied by his disciples and a large crowd. He raised his voice above the crowd and called for mercy from Jesus. Other people tried to discourage him but he persisted and raised his voice even louder. Jesus asked the others to call the blind man to him. The people recognized the invitation as an opportunity for Bartimaeus and called him to come to Jesus. When the blind man came, Jesus asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” That is, he invited the blind man to be specific regarding what he needs from God. Bartimaeus responded with clarity and specificity: “Rabbi, I want to see.” Jesus healed him from blindness immediately.
Based on Christ interaction with the blind man, we learn about the need and discuss the benefits of specificity in prayer. Seeking specificity in prayer leads to better understanding of your prayer purpose and what you can humanly do regarding your need. Further, understanding your prayer purpose better will help in seeking to align your purpose with God’s purpose, thereby strengthening your faith. Also, based on Christ instruction to the other people, we learn about assisting others in their prayer and human effort.
Blind Man Responds to Opportunity
Bartimaeus, the blind man, was begging by the roadside. He realized that Jesus was passing and recognized an opportunity to change his life for the better by receiving sight from Jesus: “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” [Mark 10:46]. He understood that being healed from blindness would be a lot better than receiving goods or service as a blind man. Therefore, he raised his voice above the crowd and asked Jesus for mercy [Mark 10:47]: “When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’”
Persistent Despite Others
The behavior of Bartimaeus conveys an important lesson that you should not let other people or circumstances discourage you from prayer or human effort. First, Bartimaeus raised his voice above the crowd to call for Jesus. He raised his voice because he recognized the crowd as a potential impediment against reaching Jesus and determined that raising his voice would increase his likelihood of success. Second, other people tried to discourage him from calling for Jesus, but he persisted and raised his voice even louder [Mark 10:48]: “Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’”
Individual Responsibility to Assist Others in Prayer and Effort
Through his instruction to the other people with him, Christ conveys a message regarding human responsibility to assist other people in prayer and human effort. He asked the other people to call Bartimaeus. His instruction to the people is a call to the individual responsibility to assist others in their prayer and effort: “Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him’” [Mark 10:49]. The people recognized the invitation as an opportunity for Bartimaeus and called him to Jesus [Mark 10:49]: “So they called to the blind man, ‘Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.’”
Specific in Prayer
Christ interaction with Bartimaeus conveys a message to be specific in prayer. He asked Bartimaeus, “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimaeus responded: “Rabbi, I want to see.” With clarity and specificity, he declared what he was asking from God. He asked for sight so he could live a normal life and work for his needs instead of depending entirely on other people.
Seeking specificity in prayer provides opportunity to understand your prayer purpose better and determine what you can humanly do for your need. As we discuss in a previous study under Peter Escapes from Herod’s Prison, God provides input to solving our problems but at times expects a person to apply human effort as part of finding the solution. Furthermore, the human effort could be closely tied with and necessary to accepting and utilizing God’s input. Therefore, seeking specificity in prayer will help a person to understand their prayer purpose better and determine what aspects can be solved through human effort and how they relate to the aspects that call for God’s intervention.
Furthermore, seeking specificity in prayer provides opportunity to seek alignment of your prayer purpose with God’s purpose. As we learned from David, “…the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give all of you into our hands” [1 Samuel 17:47]. That is, your faith is strengthened by understanding that your prayer purpose is consistent with God’s purpose and you understand your purpose better as you seek specificity.
Therefore, Christ’s question to Bartimaeus—What do you want me to do for you—is a call to every person to seek specificity in prayer, to understand your prayer purpose and seek alignment of your purpose with God’s purpose (please see more discussion of alignment with God’s purpose in Aligning with God’s Purpose—Hannah’s Petition and Birth of Samuel).
Jesus granted the prayer of Bartimaeus and gave him sight immediately. Thereafter, Bartimaeus followed Jesus. Now that he was capable of living a normal life, he decided to follow Jesus and followed him immediately.
Summary of What We Learned
Based on Jesus interactions regarding a blind man Bartimaeus, we learn the benefits of persistence and specificity in prayer and understand the individual responsibility to assist others in their prayer and effort. Bartimaeus was begging by the roadside when he realized Jesus was passing and recognized an opportunity to seek for better. His behavior illustrates persistence in prayer and human effort, even when others or circumstances appear to discourage you.
Further, Christ’s question to Bartimaeus—What do you want me to do for you—is a call to every person to seek specificity in prayer, to understand your prayer purpose better and seek alignment of your purpose with God’s purpose. Also, his instruction to the other people underscores the individual responsibility to assist others in their prayer and effort.