As I Hear

John 5:30 (KJV) “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”

Mark 10:51 “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” (emphasis added). How do you think Jesus would have felt to hear this blind man using the lingo of the core? Bartimaeus was not doing it politically because even after he got his sight, the Bible says he followed Jesus. Some Bible translations say Bartimaeus followed Him down the road. But in the original text it reads, he followed Jesus in the way. Meaning he became a disciple. People are in church for various reasons; Bartimaeus did not just want Jesus for the healing alone otherwise as soon as he got his healing, he would have gone. He wanted to be a disciple of Jesus and to know Jesus. This should be our attitude as believers.

Mark 10:48&51 “Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him… “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked. “My Rabbi,” the blind man said, “I want to see!” (emphasis added). Jesus asking Bartimaeus what he wanted is significant. The crowd was shutting Bartimaeus up and trying to stifle his voice. But Jesus shut the people up and gave him a voice. When you hear His voice, He gives you a voice. Jesus’ voice gives you dignity. Hearing His voice makes all the difference. But it is not always easy sometimes, I must confess. So, what do you do? You remain on the watchtower and wait until He speaks because His voice gives you a voice.

In 2 Kings 5 (please read), Elisha gave the Word of the Lord to Naaman, “…go and wash” but Naaman was upset because his expectations we different from the reality. He expected Elisha to come out, shake himself and do some abracadabra (magic). But his officers said to him, ‘Sir if this man had said you should do something greater, you would have done it. Since we are here already, let us just do what he has asked us to do. We were in a bit of a hurry to get here on time, so we did not bath. Let us go for a swim, now that the man of God has asked us to’. If Naaman did not do as the Word of the Lord instructed, he would have died a leper. Sometimes the instructions are not always convenient, but they are always profitable. When God speaks just do it! The results of obedience to God’s Word are always profitable. As a pastor, God has told me to do some things that were not comfortable, but we did them regardless. 

Prayer: Father, open my ears to hear Your voice consistently, open my heart to obey You instantly, in Jesus Name. Amen!