A friend and I agreed to meet for the very
first time on Easter Sunday. The meeting was set for a popular hotel in Lagos.
I had assumed she didn't know her way around Lagos since she currently resides
outside Lagos. She let me know that she was born, bred and buttered in Lagos.
We went there straight from church. I assumed we'll both
arrive at the same time and fellowship together. Unfortunately, she had some
delays so we needed to wait in the hotel. I realised that my daughter wouldn't
stay cooped up in the car for long without creating a scene so we went into the
lobby.
While we were waiting, my daughter wouldn't stay still.
She kept going everywhere and touching everything. The hotel staff tried to be
as accommodating as possible. It got to a point when I decided to take mummy
action. I "arrested" her as I used to do when she was younger. I gave
her some toys to play with as I secured her in one place by wrapping my legs
around hers.
After struggling for a while without success, my daughter
appeared to have accepted her fate. She kept playing with her toys and acting
like all was well. However, unlike too many of us, she was actually studying
me. Whenever she felt like I was distracted (calling or reading a
text message), she would try again to release herself.
Eventually, I think it occurred to her that she could use
her voice to create a scene and she would be released. As she started crying
out and making a scene, the people around got involved and prevailed on me to
release her. Not long after, my friend called me and told me she had arrived.
I released my daughter and we both went to meet her at the gate.
Bartimaeus was blind. The blindness limited his progress
in life. There were things he couldn't do because he needed others to guide
him. The blindness was his prison warden. He had room to move around but beyond
a certain point, his movement was restricted.
Suddenly, Bartimaeus HEARD that Jesus of Nazareth was
near. Thankfully, the blindness had not robbed him of his hearing. Thankfully,
the connection between his ears and his brain was not broken. Thankfully, as
his brain processed the information, he realised that though the blindness had
robbed him of the ability to safely navigate by himself to get to Jesus, it had
not robbed him of his voice.
He began to SHOUT OUT! Those around him tried to drown
his voice. They tried to convince him to settle and accept his fate. They asked
him to SHUT UP (or suck it up). Learn how to make do with blindness. Live with
it and make the best of it. That's great counsel generally, but not when Jesus
is near.
Bartimaeus refused to settle; he shouted the louder. He
kept at it until Jesus heard him. I wonder why Jesus still asked him what he
wanted Him to do for him. Erm Sir, the guy is obviously blind na...A wonderful
woman of God once taught me the importance of asking those you want to minister
to what they really want. You may be there thinking they are concerned about
blindness whereas their issue is how to pay the children's school fees, lol.
Today, I implore you to cry out to God concerning that
issue that you've "settled" and learnt to work around. The Lord is
near. Stay in the place of prayer until something happens. The situation may
have kept you bound but you still have your voice. Raise it to the Lord and ask
Him to show you mercy. We will testify, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
You can read Bartimaeus' story in Mark 10: 46-52.
Have a blessed and productive day.
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