July 22

And Jesus said unto him receive thy sight.—Luke 18:42

WHEREVER Jesus went there were always objects of misery, ready to receive his compassionate and miraculous aid. As he was journeying to Jericho, his ears were assailed by the importunate cries of a blind beggar, named Bartimeus. Hearing the sound of numerous footsteps he enquired of the crowd what it meant, and was informed that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. Then he earnestly cried out, "Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on me." That part of the multitude which preceded Christ, rebuked him, that he should hold his peace, but then he cried the more, the more earnestly, the more loudly, "Thou Son of David have mercy on me." Jesus heard the supplication, and stood still, and said, "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?" And he said, "Lord that I may receive my sight." Then did Jesus say unto him, "Receive thy sight, thy faith hath saved thee." In the misery of Bartimeus, we have a striking exhibition of fallen sinners, — blind, poor, and necessarily wretched. However intelligent men may be in matters of science, or literature, as to spiritual things, they are totally ignorant, they are really and absolutely blind. And however deplorable natural blindness may be, spiritual blindness is infinitely more lamentable. With the one there may be the enjoyment of the favour and love of God, but to the wicked there is no peace, for the face of the Lord is set against them. And as natural blindness is often accompanied by poverty and misery, so also is darkness of mind. Sinners are not only blind, but wretched, and poor, and naked. They are strangers to all real good, and possess not any of the solid and abiding riches of the mind. Like Bartimeus, they have to rely on human resources for all their aid, and upon an uncertain fleeting world for all the imaginary good which they possess.