What do you want me to do for you?

And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside.  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!”  

And many rebuked him, telling him to be silent. But he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”  And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.”  And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. 

 And Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” 

And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, I want to see.”  And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way.

Mark 10:46-52 ESV, (vs. 51 NIV)

As a young minister I was blessed to have a spiritual mentor, Carolyn, who was greatly skilled at asking questions. She knew how to get through the layers covering my heart issues. Perhaps it was the way she followed Jesus, answering the deep questions he asked her. Yes, Jesus was skilled in asking questions, not so much to get the answer he already knew, but to listen and wait as those he encountered named their heart’s desire in his presence. Although the answer may be obvious on the surface, Jesus’ questions are a powerful way for us to have the moment we need to focus and awaken to the transforming intimacy of Christ’s gaze into our hearts.

In this story of Bartimaeus, it is clear that he was a desperate man, unable to see, shunned, and silenced. As he heard Jesus the healer pass by, he couldn’t keep quiet, shouting, crying, and begging for the mercy of God. In fact his words, now known as “The Jesus Prayer” have been prayed by followers of Christ for hundreds of years:

O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me!

When Bartimaeus heard that Jesus was calling him, he threw off his cloak and sprang up and came to Jesus who asked him:

“What do you want me to do for you?”

His answer: “I want to see.”

And seeing Jesus, with eyes opened with faith, he followed him on the way.

PRACTICE: Lectio Divina or Reflectively Reading the Sacred Story.

Now it’s time to make the story personal:

Read this sacred story a second time. Ask the Spirit to help you notice or highlight a word or phrase that jumps out to you. Write down what you hear and then take some time to reflect on how this word or phrase connects to your life right now.

Now use your imagination and enter the story again, seeing yourself as the one sitting on the side of the road wanting to speak to Jesus. How do you get his attention?

Then imagine the Lord calling you over. How do you react? Do you need to let go of something like Bartimaeus throwing off his cloak to move freely? Do you jump up quickly or hang back for a moment?

Amazingly, you are now face to face, and Jesus asks, “What do you want me to do for you?”

What do you say? You may want to sit with this question, walk it out, or journal until you can respond with your heart’s desire.

End your time enjoying the intimacy and richness of the loving attention of the Lord.

RESOURCE. The Jesus Prayer. Repeat the Jesus Prayer as a breath prayer:

Inhale: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God. Exhale: Have Mercy on Me.

This spoken prayer affirms your faith as you humbly stand in front of Jesus, who is the Lord God who hears the desires of your heart.

WORSHIP. Spend some time with the lyrics and music of “Have Mercy on Me”