Following Jesus In The Way

“And they came to Jericho: and as He went out with His disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, ‘Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me.’ And Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole.’ And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.” Mark 10:46-47; 51-52 (KJV)
Sometimes God gives more than is asked. Bartimaeus asked for physical sight and received it. But did he also receive spiritual sight? He began to follow Jesus “in the way.” Though Jesus was accompanied by a large crowd, only a few were actually following Him “in the way.” Even His disciples had difficulty at this point. They could not believe that the Messiah would die. How could they follow Him on the way to the cross? But Bartimaeus was following “in the way.” He may not have known all that was involved, but he was willing to follow Jesus wherever that might lead and whatever might be the consequences. This is what God desires for us. We ask for specific things, and He often gives us more than we ask for. He gives us spiritual sight so that we can follow Him along the way. Physical sight is wonderful, but spiritual sight is even more wonderful. We need to seek it from the only One who can give it, Jesus Himself, so that we can follow Him “in the way.”
“. . . I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.” John 14:6 (NASB)