Would you shout louder?

Most people live their lives not wanting to rock the boat or stand out. We certainly don’t want to look stupid or have people thinking badly about us. But in this story we see a man who couldn’t care less about what people thought. He was blind, he was desperate, and he was within shouting distance of someone who could do something about it - Jesus. So he shouted! He shouted so much that those around him reprimanded him as he was obviously ‘causing a scene!’ But that just made him more determined and he shouted louder.

Interestingly, this shouting took place on the outskirts of Jericho – another place where shouting brought an amazing victory (Joshua 6). In this case, however, Bartimaeus wasn’t shouting for the walls of a city to fall down but rather that he would be able to regain his sight.

Jesus takes note of this commotion, calls him over and restores his sight because of the faith that was shown. The fact is that the shouting wasn’t empty – it was faith-filled shouting. In fact, it was the faith that caused the shouting. It was faith that led Bartimaeus to throw aside his outer garments, to jump to his feet and to come to his Lord. It was faith that healed him and it was because of his faith that he then followed Jesus.
I wonder if we would have done the same. When people looked at us and reprimanded us for making a scene, would we have continued? Would we have risked our reputation to shout for our Saviour? Jesus is looking for those who, filled with faith, will call to Him – will shout out in desperation to Him. God will not ignore a faith-filled cry from His children!

Prayer: Lord, help us to rise up in faith and cry out to You. We need Your saving power in our lives and we cry out that You would bring down the walls that oppose us and bring us freedom in Your name so that we can follow You with our whole hearts, in Jesus’ name, Amen.