Mark 10:46 They came to Jericho. As Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging.
Here we see the story of blind Bartimaeus. He was a blind beggar from the town of Jericho. Due to his disability he was unable to work and had to beg for a living. He, in all probability, had heard about Jesus and the miracles He was doing. It is unusual that we know the name of this man, because of all the people that Jesus healed, very few of them do we know by name. Bartimaeus was one of a very few who are actually named, who were miraculously healed by Jesus. The healing of blind Bartimaeus is also the final healing recorded in the book of Mark.
Mark 10:46-52 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and His disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.
The problem was that by this time Jesus was well known and was always followed by a crowd of people. They may not have had radio, television or the internet, but the message would travel fast and people would surround Jesus. Here we see a typical situation with Jesus, His disciples and a large crowd. How does anyone get access to Jesus under these circumstances, especially someone with the disability of blindness?
Sometimes we can feel like this as well. Perhaps we feel that Jesus is too busy and too consumed with the greater good or the affairs of the world, why would He stop for ‘little old me’! Perhaps we wonder how we will get through the crowd ourselves, how will we get close to Him?
This story reminds us that regardless of the crowds, HE is willing and waiting to respond to our callings! HE is not beyond your reach. Call out to Him and just as He responded to blind Bartimaeus so you can expect that HE will respond to your callings.