I called to the Lord in my distress, and I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry to Him reached His ears

That is what Bartimaeus did even when those around him attempted to literally silence him and his cries for help. But he wasn’t having any of that, he was not going to be silenced. Only he knew what he was going through. He was blind and his blindness had handicapped his whole life. He needed healing, he needed to recover His sight and the one person he had heard about who could do that was passing by. There was no way he’d let that opportunity pass him by.

Instead of succumbing to the people’s demand to tone down his screams and cries for the help only Jesus could give, he intensified them even more. There was no stopping him. This was his chance and he was not going to let it slip by because some fully sighted people didn’t think his condition was worth the racket he was causing. He screamed even louder until he caught Christ’s attention.

There will probably always be discouraging voices around us when we seek the Almighty’s intervention in our lives for whatever reason more than encouraging ones not to mention our own situation and predicament which in itself can be discouraging. However, Bartimaeus persisted despite the discouraging voices and insensitive opposition he faced in his desperate quest for his healing ensuring that he would make use of this opportunity no matter what. His persistent and unabated screams were testimony to his faith in Jesus and His definitive authority over sickness and disease.

Had this guy given in to people’s disparaging comments, he would not have attracted Jesus’ attention and most probably have not received the healing he desperately needed. It was his cries and calls that eventually arrested Jesus in his path causing Him to ask for him to be brought over. Such was his persistence and desperation caused by his desire for this opportunity not to pass him by that the Lord could not but stop His entire entourage to have him summoned. Such persistent and desperate cries of help never go unnoticed by the Lord. It is desperate and persistent people who with their unabated calls attract Christ’s attention and divine intervention.  The Lord did not need to lay His hands on him but simply declared, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” (Mark 10:52)