Sunday Lectionary Devotion

Mark 10:52 "Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road.

I remember walking home late one night from a school friend's house and saw an old man weeping in a bus shelter. I went up to him and asked what was wrong. "I'm blind," he said. "I don't know where I am. Someone put me on the wrong bus and I ended up here."

My heart went out to the old man. How could someone be as cruel to put a blind man on the wrong bus, so that he would get lost? I just couldn't believe a person could be as heartless as that. I asked the old man where he lived and when he told me, I realized that he was fortunately standing at the right bus shelter and just as I was contemplating how to get him home, a double decker bus came around the corner.

I stopped the bus and quickly prepared a speech in my head about the old man's predicament that I would tell the bus driver. As the doors opened, all of a sudden the driver said, "Hello, Alec. What are you doing around here? Your miles from home!"

The old blind man seemed to recognize the driver. "Oh, Jimmy," he answered, "I am so glad to hear a friendly voice. This wee lad has been helping me to get home."

The driver took Alec on the bus and assured me that he would make sure the old man got home safely. I walked home thanking God for providing help at the perfect time with the perfect person.

We take many things for granted, especially our sight. The fact that you are reading this devotional means you can see, recognize and understand these words. Blind Bartimaeus was so grateful to Jesus for restoring his sight that he decided to follow Jesus there and then. When Christ opens our blinds spirits to His enlightened truth, are we ready to do the same?

Prayer: Lord Jesus, You brought Your light into my world and saved me from the lightless despair of ignorance and sin. You restored me to God's favor and blessed me through Your love. May I continue to follow You and be guided by Your words and ways so that one day I may safely come home. In Your Holy Name, I pray. Amen

Stushie is the writer of the Heaven's Highway blog; the Sky Pilots site for Busy Pastors, and also the host of the radio pragam "Seven Days."