I Called, He Answered

My name is Bartimaeus,
I was not blind from birth, once I could see,
That changed--I didn't know the reason then--
I know it now.

To be used for God's purpose to prove
the identity of His only begotten Son
Is overwhelming to think about,
I know that now.

One day while begging to make a living,
I heard a commotion from the people gathered,
I asked what was going on--
The crowd shushed me--
I didn't know why then
I know why now.

The crowd said Jesus of Nazareth was passing by,
But I knew deep within,
The Son of David, the Messiah was there,
I called out to Him referring to Him in that manner,
The crowd tried to hush me,
I called all the more--
I knew why.

I had a need.
I wanted to see again.
Jesus ordered that I be brought to Him,
He asked me what He could do for me,
As if He didn't know.

I told Him I wanted to see again,
He told me to receive my sight
and instantly I was healed--

Immediately I followed Him
and the crowd who had tried to quiet me
followed--all of them praising God.

The years I had sat in darkness and shame,
questioning why me
Were now a haze in the distance
I was whole again.

A few days later
This same Jesus, the Messiah
Came passing by again,
This time carrying a heavy cross,
Bent and bowed low with the weight of the world's sins
Upon His shoulders.

To view this with eyes that now could see
Was more than my heart could bear
And yet I knew that if he did not bear this load
The scales of sin and sorrow and shame
Would still blind my eyes--
The eyes of my soul.

I know that now.

Jesus is passing your way today,
Like me, one day He will be passing by
for the last time,
Won't you cry out to Him today.
He wants to make you whole.

Please know that.

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I wrote this from the study of Luke 18:35-43.  The last three verses are from what I think could have happened.  We do not have a record of Bartimaeus being there when Jesus carried the cross but it certainly could have happened.  He was healed in Jericho but he could have walked the 15 miles from Jericho to Jerusalem especially since he now could see.  Jesus traveled this road many times.