Blind Bartimaeus

"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.
(Mark 10:51-52)

What do you want me to do for you?
Now that, my friend, is quite a question. Here you have a blind man begging by the side of the road. He hears that Jesus is coming and then throws off his cloak, jumps to his feet, and approaches Jesus. Now, it is pretty obvious that Bartimaeus is blind and in need. So, why does Jesus ask such an "obvious" question...What do you want me to do for you? Is Jesus wanting him to state his need and ask for help? Will Jesus heal him if he does not ask?

Rabbi, I want to see.
Bartimaeus states his need and desire quite simply. The man wants to see and he knows that Jesus has the power to do that. What if we framed this differently and viewed this as Bartimaeus' prayer? He asked/prayed/pleaded with Jesus to meet his need. I want/desire to see. What do I need Jesus to do for me today? Am I being specific with my prayers or just tossing out generalizations without much hope of an answer? Does God's activity in my life, in some way, hinge on my asking?

Go...your faith has healed you.
I have to be honest...this statement troubles me a little...Ok, a lot. Jesus healed him. We would all agree to that. But then he says "your faith has healed you." Jesus makes this declaration several times in the gospels. So, what role does my faith play in my healing? Dan Allender, in his book "To Be Told", refers to us as "coauthors" in the story that God is writing. What if we have so downplayed the role we play in faith and life, that we miss out on so much.

I think the part of this whole thing that really disturbs me (in a good way) is the tension between God being in control and the role of my faith. Do I really believe and live in such a way that the way I "faith" and trust plays a vital role in the unfolding of this day?

Something to consider...deeply consider...