Waiting Long Enough

When is long enough long enough? Maybe you have put certain things "on-hold"? Maybe you are just waiting for the right time? Maybe there are lots of reasons we avoid conversations with people? Do you ever find yourself doing this with God? Waiting for the right time? Putting it off until ______? Why do we do this? What is it that you are waiting for? What is that all about? Interesting isn't it? Maybe it is more than conversation that we are avoiding?

In Mark 10 we find a story of a man who was no longer willing to put things on hold, to wait, to simply let things go on as they always have before. Not everyone around him thought it was a good idea to break out of his "holding" pattern, but for whatever reason, this time, when Jesus was passing by, he decided to speak out. To express what was on his heart. To take a chance on breaking out of the pattern he was living.

Curiously enough, in this story, we are given the name of the man Jesus responds to. Have you ever noticed that giving people a name changes things. When we know people, not just by their "condition" but by name, things look different to us.

Well, at least things should look different. Those in the crowd, maybe some of those who did know him by name, did their best to try to quiet him down. Maybe they did not really know him by name. But Jesus did. That's why Jesus stops. Jesus stops. That is what happens when we know someone by name - we stop. Not only does He stop, He also asks, listens, and responds. Because our story is unique and not the same as Bartimaeus', how Jesus responds will be unique to our own story, but the asking, listening and responding as just as assured for us as it was for Bartimaeus.

Exploring what happens when Jesus stops and asks is what Pastor Pablo explores with us this morning in this passage of scripture. If you would like to listen to the sermon again, or perhaps for the first time, you can access our sermon library by clicking here.

Mark 10 (NIV)

46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”

48 Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

49 Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” 50 Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.

51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him.

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.”

52 “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

Questions for Reflection:

What are the conversations that you have been putting off that have been put off long enough? What are you avoiding?

Do you have a sense of Jesus passing by, waiting for the opportunity to stop, listen, ask and respond?

When will you be having that conversation with God? (With someone else?)