by Anna Haiar
Out of Sin and Into the Light
You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.
“And Jesus stopped and said, ‘Call him.’ And they called the blind man, saying to him, ‘Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.’”
Mark 10:49 English Standard Version
The story of Mark 10 introduces us to Bartimaeus, sitting on the side of the road, blind, broken, and begging. He had likely been overlooked most of his life—just part of the background noise of the street. But not to Jesus. When Bartimaeus heard Jesus was passing by, he cried out with desperation: “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Others told him to be quiet, but he cried louder. And then—Jesus stopped. Jesus heard the voice of one hurting man and paused everything to respond. “Call him,” He said. And the crowd turned to Bartimaeus with these words: “Take heart. Get up; He is calling you.” 
This moment wasn’t just about physical healing—it was a picture of the Gospel.
We, too, were once sitting in the dust of our sin—blind, broken, and far from God. But Jesus heard our cry. He didn’t pass us by. He called us. Like our photo for today, he calls us out of the dark cave of our sin. Out of shame. Out of spiritual blindness and into life and light. “He is calling you.” Not because we deserve it. Not because we’ve earned His attention. But because of His mercy and love. Just like Bartimaeus, we are invited to leave behind what has held us down and walk toward the Savior who offers healing and eternity. Bartimaeus responded by throwing off his cloak—a symbol of leaving behind his old life—and came to Jesus. And Jesus met him with compassion and restoration. Jesus is still calling today. Through the noise of the world and the weight of our sin, His voice breaks through: “Come to Me.” He’s calling you to turn from what’s broken and step into a new life that begins now and stretches into eternity.
Take heart. Get up. He is calling you.
Copyright Family of Christ Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado
