Faith in Action Part 2

"Son of David, have mercy on me."   v 48.                                          Mark 10:46-52    NKJV

Let's take a further look at faith in action. Here Bartimaeus was sitting at the side of the road, when he heard that Jesus was passing by. He had heard of Jesus and this was obvious by the way he shouted to Jesus, 'Son of David - '. He acknowledged the Messiahship of Jesus in his use of this term.

No matter what the crowd said to him about being quiet, Bartimaeus was persistent. Rather like the woman with the issue of blood, this may have been his last chance to receive his sight and nothing was going to stand in his way. 

The persistence worked and Jesus stopped and called him over. 'What do you want Me to do for you?' Jesus asked. Bartimaeus replied, 'Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.' Jesus told him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well.' This was exactly what Jesus had said to the woman with the issue of blood, 'Your faith has made you well.' These two people had one main thing in common; they had persistence. Nothing was going to stop them from seeking their healing. They believed and that was all Jesus needed.

This is explained more clearly in Mark 11:5-8:

"Which of you shall have a friend and go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey and I have nothing to set before him,' and he will answer from within and say, 'Do not trouble me, the door is now shut and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you?' I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs.'

Persistence can also be translated, 'Importunity,' which means insistent demands or requests. This is not an act of over boldness towards God but rather a determination of faith that we'll never give up and show lack of faith. Winston Churchill visited his old school to give what the staff and students thought would be and encouraging but lengthy talk. He got up and said six words, 'Never, never, never, never - give up.' It was quiet at first as he sat down but soon the realisation of these words rippled through the crowd and caused a sensation. 

And this is how Jesus wants us to be. When we are praying for something, we should never give up and think it is not God's will because the answer isn't coming. This is especially true of healing. God's Word tells us we're healed already 1 Peter 2:24. Mark 11:22-24 tells us to have faith and ask God for what we need and then believe and receive and we will have it. It is the believing and receiving in the face of everything that tells you that is the way forward. Yes, we have questions that require answers but God will tell us these on that day that we meet Him face to face. 
Until then, never, never, never, never - give up!

Copyright 2019 Grahame Howard

dailylifewithjesus@protonmail.com