Cartoonology. There is great theology in cartoons and comics.
When I was a kid, we could find all kinds of interesting things to do with old tires. If nothing else, we found entertainment in just rolling them around. On one occasion, a friend and I found some old truck tires at the sawmill and were doing just that. The sawmill was high up on a steep hill above our house. Things were going very well until my tire got away from me, started down the hill straight for the highway at the bottom. I instantly realized the potential tragedy. It picked up tremendous speed. I found myself literally on my knees praying audibly to God. I’ll be honest. I am not sure if I was as much worried about it striking a vehicle as I was about the trouble coming to me if it happened.
The tire made a big bounce, and then bounced again right in the middle of the road. It sailed over several mailboxes into the ravine below, and continued all the way down to the railroad tracks. I remember feeling so helpless, as well as great relief when it was all over. There was nothing I could do but stand and watch. Everything was out of my control. I don’t know if God heard my prayer or not, but I was more than willing to give Him credit.
I suppose blind Bartimaeus was feeling out of control when he encountered Jesus.
Mark 10:46-52 (NKJV)
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
52 Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
46 Now they came to Jericho. As He went out of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging.
47 And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!"
48 Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, "Son of David, have mercy on me!"
49 So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, "Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you."
50 And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.
51 So Jesus answered and said to him, "What do you want Me to do for you?" The blind man said to Him, "Rabboni, that I may receive my sight."
52 Then Jesus said to him, "Go your way; your faith has made you well." And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road.
Life will throw things at us that we have no control over. It can suck the life right out of us. It can paralyze us. Pierce our heat. We find ourselves unable to do nothing more than trust God. I suppose God allows these things to get us to do just that – trust in Him alone.
Psalm 118:9 is found exactly in the center of the Bible. It reads, “It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes.”
There are those with all kinds of opinions and attitudes, but the most important thing to remember is what God thinks about you. The crowd tried to get Bartimaeus to be quiet. Some of them could have been the Lord’s disciples. But he cried out louder. The Greek words’ “cried out” in the text can be translated “screamed” or “shrieked”. Bartimaeus needed the Lord’s attention. The story and its conclusion reveal how Jesus looked upon him. Oh, what a Savior! 03-02-09
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