March 30 | Want
Read Mark 10:46-52
Follow. After Bartimaeus receives his sight, the story ends with the note that he followed Jesus on the way. On the way to where?
The second half of Mark uses that phrase “on the way” several times to describe Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem. His journey to the cross.
From the time Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah in 8:29, the narrative of Mark’s gospel changes. The focus becomes the journey to the cross.
What’s interesting about this little inclusion in the story of Bartimaeus is that Bartimaeus could have just said, “Thank you for the healing!” and carried on about his normal life. Instead, Mark tells us, he followed Jesus on the way to the cross.
Bartimaeus here serves to underscore another main theme of Mark’s: discipleship. Mark wants his readers to know that to be a disciple of Jesus is not to just take the healing or provision He gave you and go back to life as normal. Jesus is not a vending machine. Discipleship means to follow Jesus, wherever He leads- even to the cross.
Today, let’s confess our hesitancy to accept the pain on the path of following Jesus. Let’s ask Him to help us follow Him well, even when it costs us.