48 Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
49 And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”
50 Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.
51 And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?” And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”
52 And Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.” Mark 10:46-52. (Emphasis added.)
The foregoing Scripture for today shows the humility, persistence, and faith of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, who was healed by Jesus.
We see the humility of Bartimaeus who “began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”
We see the persistence of Bartimaeus in verse 48: “Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
We see the faith of Bartimaeus acknowledged by Jesus’ words in verse 52: “Go; your faith has made you well.”
The importance of humility is shown in James 4:6: “But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”
The importance of persistence is shown in the parable of the widow and the judge in Luke 18:1-8. “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,” Luke 18:1.
The importance of faith is shown throughout Scripture. Here, in our Scripture for today, the importance of faith is shown by Jesus’ words to Bartimaeus: “Go; your faith has made you well.” But, more important than physical healing, Hebrews 11:6 states: “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.”
Faith is necessary for salvation, but even faith is a gift of God. “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9. (Emphasis added.)
2 Peter 1:1 and 2 Peter 1:3 confirm that not only faith is received as a gift through God’s grace, everything that we need pertaining to life and godliness is a gift: “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ: … seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.” 1 Corinthians 4:7 : “For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (Emphasis added.)
In summary and conclusion, we have seen the humility, persistence, and faith of Bartimaeus. We have seen the importance of these virtues. But, finally, we have also seen that we have received these virtues, not through our own works or other merit, but only as gifts through the grace of God.
Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions 