27 March 2010
Psalm 137, 144; Exod. 10:21-11:8; 2 Cor. 4:13-18; Mark 10:46-52

Have you ever been in a cave and put out the lights to experience the darkness? It is an eerie experience to say the least, a darkness that seems to have physical properties like this darkness that could be “felt.” In the cave there is a clear limit to how long most people will allow the darkness to continue without switching back on the light source and here in this plague it lasted three days. Pharaoh still claims power over the livestock, refusing to let the people take their assets with them. In Moses’ response it is plain that they aren’t coming back as he proposes that not a hoof will be left behind. Pharaoh’s threat that Moses should not come again rings hollow and weak and the final plague is announced, the death of the first born. The plagues are also signs, they are for the Hebrews to know who is God, their land does not experience this darkness. The signs are also for the Egyptians who can make the decision to believe as well. They are also mercy in that God is revealing Himself to them.

Here, Bartimaeus certainly understands a darkness that can be felt. His blindness physically has not caused a spiritual blindness. He has heard of this one, Jesus, and now is his chance to get before the healer and he will not be kept away. He persists in crying out to Jesus as he passes him on the road to Jerusalem even though others attempt to quiet him. He may not be able to see but his voice works perfectly well and he will use the asset he does have in hopes of receiving the mercy of God in healing his affliction. His cry is for mercy to be shown. He has no case to plead about how innocent he is or how this is unfair, simply asks for mercy. Do we thank God for the mercies we are shown each day in our health, our ability to appreciate this life, to know Him and to worship Him? We don’t have the reminder that Bartimaeus had maybe but is our prayer life more about thankfulness for what we have or petition for what we don’t have?

Paul speaks of grace, “as it extends to more and more people, may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” Our lives are meant to be lives of thanksgiving to the glory of God. Our purpose in life is to glorify God, the same as Jesus’ purpose. Our salvation is a result of Him fulfilling that purpose to the end, it was not the goal of His life. It must be our purpose to glorify Him and in order to do that requires us to be a people who are truly thankful for grace and to be a people deeply committed to prayer. We must be those who ask all day long how we might glorify Him. Paul did so through persecution and imprisonment, in suffering and weakness, Jesus did so in the Passion of His suffering and death on the cross. His “reward” was resurrection to life eternal. As we have faith in Him, so do we receive the inheritance of life, and our response is to be following Him and accepting that our purpose must be at one with Jesus’ so that others may see in our example that our hope is secure and our treasure is not in this world.

Blessed be the LORD, my rock,
who trains my hands for war,
and my fingers for battle;
he is my steadfast love and my fortress,
my stronghold and my deliverer,
my shield and he in whom I take refuge.