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, let me recover my sight. 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 10:50-52
What do you want from me? This is a question I’ve asked my children, my husband, and my church when I’ve been frustrated trying to guess their expectations. Expectations, especially unspoken, can create trouble in our lives. It leads to assumptions where we guess, sometimes wrongly, and then disappointment comes in waves. But do we know how to answer that when Jesus asks the question? Or maybe we’re in the difficult middle of caring for aging parents while still raising our kids. We bounce back and forth from releasing our kids to greater independence while navigating the need for our parents to depend on us more and more. In the maelstrom of living life, we start to focus on surviving the chaos that we squelch our desires because there’s no room for them. We only know that our burdens get heavier and heavier, and our eyes grow blind to hope.
But sometimes, we repress our desires for other reasons. We’re disappointed with people or God. We hope for something, but the opposite happens. We’re too afraid to pray because we assume that it won’t make a difference. Or we’ve believed God for a promise, but that promise remains unfulfilled. And we plod through our lives, squeezed tight by the burdens we carry.
We know Jesus heals, bears burdens, and promises victory, and we wonder when it will be our turn. We sit on the sideline of our life, letting life happen to us, desperate for Jesus to walk by like he did with the crowds at Jericho. I love the story of the blind beggar for two reasons. One, because when he heard that Jesus was near, he called for Jesus repeatedly even though the crowds tried to hush him.
The second reason is because of what Jesus asked him: “What do you want me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). The answer seems obvious, right? He’s blind; he wants to see. But Jesus doesn’t assume; he asks. He invites the beggar to express his desire, his need, his longing. And the beggar doesn’t hesitate; he says, “Rabbi, I want to see.” (Mark 10:51).
Jesus responds with compassion and power: “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:52). And the beggar does something remarkable: he follows Jesus on the way. He doesn’t go back to his old life; he goes after a new one with Jesus.
What about us? What do we want Jesus to do for us? Do we have the courage to ask him? Do we have the faith to believe that he can do it? Do we have the willingness to follow him wherever he leads us?
Maybe you’re reading this and you feel like you’ve lost your sight. Maybe you’re weary from carrying heavy burdens. Maybe you’re disappointed with God or people. Maybe you’re afraid to ask God for what you really want.
I want to encourage you today to cry out to Jesus like the blind beggar did. Don’t let anyone or anything silence you. Don’t let fear or doubt stop you. Don’t let shame or guilt hold you back.
Jesus is passing by, and he hears you. He stops and asks you: “What do you want me to do for you?”
How will you answer him?
Let’s pray:
Lord Jesus, thank you for your love and compassion for me. Thank you that you care about my needs and desires. Thank you that you have the power and authority to do anything in my life. Lord, I come to you today with a humble and honest heart. I ask you to (insert your request here). Lord, I believe that you can do it. I trust that you will do what is best for me according to your will and purpose. Lord, I want to follow you on the way. I want to see your glory and grace in my life. I want to be a witness of your goodness and mercy. Lord, please hear my prayer and answer me according to your love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Joyful-Echoes 