Throwing Aside His Cloak

So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you. And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. 

Mark 10:49-50 

Bartimaeus allowed nothing to hinder his coming to Jesus. The details of Scripture invite our contemplation. Lately, we have been considering Bartimaeus and the circumstances that brought him into contact with Christ. He had heard of Christ, realized He was passing by, and seized his opportunity, in spite of those who sought to silence him. Our text describes how Christ commanded others to bring Bartimaeus to Him. When he heard the words, ‘Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you,’ he threw aside his cloak and came to Jesus. He threw aside anything that would impede his progress in coming to the One Who could meet his deepest need. This is an apparently small detail, yet the Holy Spirit has seen fit to include it in the Scripture record. As such, it has more value than simply to fill in the portrait. This man shows us the manner in which we also ought to approach Jesus, allowing nothing to slow our approach. We perhaps have cloaked ourselves in many things that we must cast aside in order to get to Christ. They may be things that have served a purpose and are legitimate in and of themselves. Yet, in holding on to them, we slow our progress. Let us take stock of those things and cast them aside that none of them hinder us from coming to Jesus.  

Our Gracious and Loving Savior, 
we rejoice that You have called us to You. 
We pray that You would grant us grace, 
to set aside anything that would hinder us from coming to You. 

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning