November 9
Traits of true faith, part 2
Many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Mark 10:48 (NKJV)
We’re looking at the exchange between Jesus and a blind beggar named Bartimaeus. Based on their interaction, we’re able to see some traits of true faith. Yesterday we saw how Bartimaeus began to call out to Jesus for mercy. Today, we learn the surrounding crowd told Bartimaeus to be quiet. But that doesn’t deter him. In fact, he shouted out to Jesus even more.
True faith doesn’t back down at the first sign of discouragement. It doesn’t give up when there’s opposition. When people understand who Jesus is and how badly they need Him, they don’t let the naysayers throw them off. They recognize it doesn’t matter what other people say or think. All that matters is Jesus, and they continue to call out to Him, because true faith pushes past discouragement and opposition.
Which leads to the next trait of true faith:
Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called…And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus.Mark 10:49-50 (NKJV)
Jesus stops and commands Bartimaeus to come to Him. But in coming to Christ, he throws aside his garment. That’s a bigger deal than we may realize. Those who begged would spread a garment out for people to toss their spare change into. So when this blind man threw it into the crowd, it was a statement that he was willing to leave his old way of life and leave it for good. Why? Because he had faith that Jesus would give him a new way of life. You see, true faith is willing to forsake the old for the sake of the new.
If our faith is true, we won’t let opposition keep us from pursuing Jesus. Moreover, we’ll be willing to let go of the old in favor of something better that the Lord has for us. The key question is, “Are we?”
Think About It…
What does this passage reveal to me about God?
What does this passage reveal to me about myself?
Based on this, what changes do I need to make?
What is my prayer for today?
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God's mercy is new every day. That's because it's needed daily. So to help you walk through a fresh new day, the Active Word has put together this second volume of the 365 Devotional. Our hope in creating this series of devotionals, is to help you connect with God's Word 365 days a year. And the best thing is, you can start any day of the year. Stay in step with God's Word, His will, and learn to live out your faith, daily.
