Praise the Lord, for He has heard our cry!

The Bible is full of joyful praise to God, thanking Him for hearing the cry of His people and bringing comfort in distress. Healing, restoration, comfort, peace – these are all the promises of God. And those promises are not just for when the Kingdom of Christ comes, but also for now. This kind of healing and comfort is part of the promise of the Messiah, signs of the coming reign of the Prince of Peace.

When Jesus is ministering in Judea and Galilee, restoration (whether of soul, mind, or body) is very much part of what he brings. The story of Blind Bartimaeus is one of my favourites. Bartimaeus is a beggar, unable to work and utterly dependent on the charity of his neighbours. But he is not without agency. When he hears that Jesus is near, he is determined to try what he can to change his situation. Normally dependent on others, a passive recipient of what they are prepared to give, in this instance he is his own agent.

“Son of David, have mercy on me!” he shouts. He has heard that Jesus is the Messiah, and he believes. Son of David is one of the titles given to the Messiah in the prophets. The more people try to shush him, the more determined he becomes, and the louder he shouts.

Sometimes it feels like we have to shout to get God’s attention, but I don’t think that’s true. God already knows our needs, and our wants. But I do wonder whether God does want us to move from being passive to becoming agents in our own lives. After all, God invites us to be co-creators in the world, so surely, He also wants us to be active in our own lives and take responsibility for ourselves.

Part of taking responsibility is also articulating our wants and needs, taking ownership of them (as well as of ourselves). Thus, Jesus’ question, “What do you want me to do for you?” becomes less daft. Whilst on the one hand, it’s obvious what needs to be done for Bartimaeus, but Jesus is not prepared to allow this man to be at the mercy of others anymore. This time, Bartimaeus can choose. What is it that he wants? Not merely, what are others prepared to give him. Too often we assume that life is what we’re given. Sometimes I wonder if it’s what we make it. There’s an old cliché: when life gives you lemons, make lemonade. In the end, the chances of life are perhaps quite random, and often very challenging. It’s what we do with those chances that will define us.

Revd. Talisker

Photo by Martin Shreder on Unsplash