By Brandi Hignight

Mark 10:46-52

“Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus, was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. “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.” 

As I was readiing the story of Bartimaeus in Mark 10, the book I was reading pointed out how Bartimaeus threw off his coat and came to Jesus. I never thought much about that little tid bit, but I’ve learned that as a blind beggar his coat was of utmost importance as it was his means of protection.

There are a number of things that stood out to me:

1. I would be too afraid, I mean too practical, to be healed. The blind man had no education, no job skills. He was used to being blind. It is his norm, comfortable, familiar.

2. I would over rationalize it. “If the Messiah heals me, that’s cool, but I don’t want to ask. He should just know. If He doesn’t ask me, then it must not be His will.”

BUT Bartimaeus cried out, and when they tried to silence him, he cried out all the more.
Once Jesus called him, he “threw off his coat and came,” and once he could see, he “followed Jesus along the road.”

*Notice he didn’t go back and get his coat.

3. I would want to keep the coat…you know just in case.

“Just in case what, Dummy?” you may ask.

Because of my control problem. My wanting to salvage Jesus’ reputation in case the healing was a good day circumstance and not a permanent thing.

It’s sad/ridiculous I know.

So here are a few questions to ponder. What is your “coat?” What’s that thing that you are holding on to that’s comfortable and familiar…the thing that seems so important… the thing you can’t let go of?

That “coat” you are hanging onto could be the very thing that is keeping you from the breakthrough that the Lord wants to do in your life.

Are you willing to throw off your coat and follow after Christ with your whole heart today? How badly do you want to be set free?

Throw off your coat!  Don’t look back. Run after Him.  You won’t regret it!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2