THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS
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I remember a tremendous performer who acted in an humble manner. I took my son, Bobby, to see Ronnie Millsap, when Bobby was about 10. Ronnie played the piano and sang. The piano began to smoke, and then "BOOM!" There was an explosion in the piano. My son thought that was awesome.
Then Ronnie got up from the piano, and began to walk toward the front of the stage, microphone in hand. Ronnie is blind. You could hear the drummer in the background telling him, "15 feet, 12 feet, 8 feet, 6 feet, 3 feet...." Just then Ronnie stopped.
He said, "I don't trust him...a couple months ago he told me I had 3 feet left, and I took one more step. Then I fell off a 15 foot high stage and saw stars!"
Everyone laughed.
Ronnie said, "Don't laugh, that's the first thing I've seen in 20 years!"
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Mark 10:46-50
46 And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
48 And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.
49 And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.
50 And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus.
KJV
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Perhaps one of my favorite stories in the Bible is this one about blind Bartimaeus, son of Timaeus. Kinda rhymes doesn't it?
Bartimaeus was blind and helpless. He knew his condition. And when he learned Jesus was passing by, he cried out with all his might, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me!
Probably the reason this is one of my favorite stories, is because it reminds me of me. I was blind to truth and helpless in a world of sin when Jesus saved me. I wasn't traveling His direction, He was traveling my direction! He made sure that family and friends told me that He was Creator and Savior, that I could have forgiveness in Him, and that I could call on Him.
Notice that Bartimaeus, once he was called to Jesus, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. He wanted no outer covering of works or goodness of his own. He came like the song says, "Just As I Am!"
When I came to Christ, realizing I was a dirty, lost sinner and had no goodness in me, then He saved me!
And even today, I must realize that I am blind and helpless without Christ. Each day I need His closeness to guide me, His love to sustain me, and His hope to give me strength to go on. Just as He says, "...without me ye can do nothing." (John 15:5)
When free will meets free grace, men have acceptance with God.
We need God to have mercy upon who we are in order to be saved.
And we need God to have mercy upon what we do each day in order to be blessed.
Inexhaustible, unfathomable mercy awaits each Christian today.
Let us call upon Him for MERCY!
Love ya,
Bruce