Partners not Puppets
For too long in life, I looked at God as if he was opposed to me. Yes, I knew God loved me. Sure, I thought God wanted good things for me. Yes, I believed God had a plan for my life. However, I thought everything was completely on God’s terms. My mistakes and failures made those terms more daunting. We definitely weren’t partners.
I see Him differently now.
For sure, there are non-negotiable aspects to God. God is holy; He cannot tolerate sin. God is all knowing; I cannot pretend to know better or more than him. Yet God created me for relationship. He knows me, and God wants me to know him.
God doesn’t want a puppet. God wants a partner.
Jesus + Partnership
Jesus has an interesting encounter with a man in the Gospel of Mark. The entire tenth chapter follows the interactions of Jesus and the people around him – friends, enemies and strangers.
We read about Jesus talking with some religious leaders asking about the legality (in their Mosaic law) of divorce. Mark tells of a group of children running to Jesus hoping hugs and a blessing. We see a rich, young man approach Jesus wondering about the requirements for eternal life. We witness Jesus’ disciples asking him to sit next to him in heaven (implying god-like authority).
Jesus navigates these with grace and wisdom — always attempting to create relationship and partnership. In the last encounter Jesus has in Mark 10, Jesus asks the question which sums up what it means to partner with him.
Jesus partners with Blind Bartimaeus
A blind beggar calls out as Jesus makes his way to Jerusalem. This beggar is known as Blind Bartimaeus. Hearing Jesus is on the road, Bartimaeus makes a fool of himself to get Jesus’ attention. It works. Jesus calls for Bartimaeus.
Bartimaeus hustles over to Jesus, and it’s obvious Bartimaeus is blind beggar. His clothes are shabby. I’m sure Bartimaeus’ appearance was a mess. Yet, Jesus looks past all of this, invites Bartimaeus to his side, and asks a simple but profound question:
“What do you want me to do for you?”
Again, to everyone around them, the answer is obvious. Jesus, the man is blind!
But Jesus asks anyway. It’s as if Jesus is asking, “If you want to partner with me, I need to know how I can help you get started?”
Jesus wants to partner with you!
Jesus doesn’t just ask the question of Bartimaeus; he asks you and me the same question. “What do you want?” Again, Jesus is asking us, “How do we get this partnership going?”
Some of you have no problem answering that question. Many of us do. I fall into the second category, and I’m guessing you might too. If that is you, you have at least two problems with that question.
First, we often don’t even hear the question. Many times we don’t hear because we don’t believe. We don’t believe God cares to know what we want. We see ourselves like the crowd saw Bartimaeus — a poor, blind beggar, who just needed to shut up. Why would God want to be partners with me?
Second, even if we do hear the question, we aren’t completely honest with Jesus. We aren’t bold, brave and specific. We are quiet, timid and general.
You don’t have to be stuck in this place. Let me show you how to change the narrative running in your head. Here are three things you can work on:
1. Be bold.
Who asks for healing? Who asks for healing from blindness? Those are crazy requests…even after hearing that Jesus is healing the sick of all sorts. Bartimaeus didn’t care. He asked boldly.
“I want to see!”
Let me tell you why Bartimaeus was so bold. Batimaeus was confident in who he was. Yes, he knew he was poor. He know he was blind. He knew the occupation listed on his W-2 was beggar. Bartimaeus also knew his true identity. He was a child of God.
You too are God’s creation. If you are a follower of Jesus, you are more than God’s creation; you are God’s child. So be bold. You aren’t asking your stingy uncle for a loan, but you are going to your doting father who wants to lavish good things on all of his children. You aren’t an abused step child, but you are an heir of the kingdom of God.
Be bold in your request from Jesus.
2. Be specific.
Okay, you’ve worked up the courage to ask. God is for you! So, now it’s time to be specific.
Bartimaeus sat along side the road day after day asking for money. He probably had more issues than just blindness, but Bartimaeus knew what he wanted most. Bartimaeus wanted to see. He didn’t ask for a blessing. He didn’t asked to be healed. Bartimaeus asked for his sight.
Bartimaeus was specific.
What specifically do you want from Jesus. Sure you want to be blessed, but specifically how do you want to be blessed? Do you want to be blessed with a child or grandchild? Would you like to be blessed with a great job? Do you want to be blessed with healing from cancer? Do you want to be blessed with friends who care about you?
Be specific with what you ask for from Jesus.
3. Be prepared.
When Jesus initially calls, Bartimaeus has a great response. He jumps up and tosses his coat aside. Not only does Bartimaeus respond quickly, but he makes a symbolic gesture by throwing his coat away.
It’s as Bartimaeus is saying to the crowd, “I’m throwing away my old life of blindness and begging. Later suckers!” That dirty, old coat, torn and tattered is no longer needed. Bartimaeus believes he is jumping into a brand new life.
When Jesus answers your bold and specific request, how will that change your life? Are you ready to throw aside all the old, torn and tattered things of your past? Are you ready to jump into a new and exciting world?
Be prepared to jump into a new life when Jesus answers your request.
Partners and Heirs
Key to all of this is the belief that God wants to walk with you. He sees you as partners and heir in his kingdom.
And that's the way it was with us before Christ came. We were like children; we were slaves to the basic spiritual principles of this world. But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, "Abba, Father." Now you are no longer a slave but God's own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. -Galatians 4:3-7
If you believe this to be true, then it changes how you approach God in prayer. It changes how you see him.
You now can be bold, specific and prepared. You are a partner of God.
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