JESUS OR BUST!
by Brian Goslee
Photo by Juliano Ferreira from Pexels
This post is from the Your Faith Has Made You Well free devotional plan.
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As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard the crowd going by, he asked what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He called out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Those who led the way rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus, praising God. When all the people saw it, they also praised God.
LUKE 18:25-43 (NIV)
Luke describes this man as a “blind man.” Mark, in his Gospel account, identifies him by name as Bartimaeus (Mark 10:46 NIV). You have to love Bartimaeus! After they try to “shush” him, he yells out all the louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”
In many of the stories cited throughout Luke’s Gospel, we see people reaching our for Jesus. We see people crying out to Jesus, often literally. We see people frequently breaking cultural norms and not caring what others think. Their mindset seems to be “I AM GOING TO GET TO JESUS AT ALL COSTS.” It reminds me of those sayings many people write on their van or SUV windows for sports travel tournaments with their kids. They paint things like “Nashville Finals or Bust!”
Do you live like your personal sign says “Jesus or Bust”?
The people we read about in the Gospel of Luke that are healed by Jesus lived like that, and Jesus said their faith healed them, saved them, and made them well. It was this kind of deep and active faith deep that impressed Jesus and brought about healing. This kind of faith blinded these people to other cultural things that were less important, like caring what others thought of them.
For us, it is much easier for us to get to Jesus. We just need to ask Him. He is available 24/7. For those of us who have accepted Jesus as our savior, his Holy Spirit is in us and Jesus is with us all the time. Jesus said, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20 ESV). We simply need to acknowledge Him, pray to Him, and actively invite Him to participate with us in every aspect of our lives.
PRAYER TIME
Jesus simply asked “What do you want me to do for you?” Bartimeaus simply responded, “Lord, I want to see.” In your prayer time this week, consider that Jesus is asking you, “What do you want me to do for you?” …and then simple answer Him. Be honest and open with Him. He knows your heart and your situation, just open up to Him.
FAITH ACTION STEP
Pray for God to reveal to you barriers that are keeping you from taking a “Jesus or Bust!” approach to life and your faith journey. Act to remove this barrier, or put it in its proper place of priority.
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