The Miracle

There was nothing wrong with his hearing; that was for sure!

He heard the farrier's hammer hit the anvil as he shaped the horseshoe.

He heard the market sellers call out their deals of the day.

He heard exhausted mothers reprimand their boisterous children,

He heard the unpleasant sound of desperate rats scratching the dry, dusty ground, hoping for crumbs or scraps of food that people may drop.

He was glad of his other senses t

The smell of the fresh bread on the barrow that wheeled past him. It made his mouth water.

Bartimaeus felt the ground with his hands, finding the edge of his well-worn mat. He smoothed it so it lay flat beneath him.

He sighed, knowing it would be another long day sitting, waiting, and hoping for a few kind and generous people who would drop a few coins into his bowl.

He needed food today as he had gone to bed hungry the night before.

The delightful sound of a coin dropping into his bowl made him jump. He called out, “Thank you for your generous spirit”

He waited to hear their footsteps fade away until he reached for his bowl and felt the shape of the coin.

He tucked it into his cloth pouch tied around his waist.

Bartimaeus tried hard to sit upright. But soon the sun was beating down on him, his head drooped, and he started to doze.

He dreamt of a time when he could see. He noticed trees that stood erect beside a babbling brook.

He stepped into the cool water and splashed the other children who were playing with him.

He looked up into the blue sky and saw buzzards soaring high.

He was jolted awake by a thundering sound.

He was confused as he didn’t really know what the sound was.

Then he realised he was hearing crowds of people walking towards him. He heard excited voices.

He strained his head to try and hear what they were talking about.

He heard the name, Jesus.

A sense of excitement flooded Bartimaeus. He had heard many people talk about this man. Some said that he was the messiah.

He had heard stories of how this Jesus had healed the sick and the lame.

He sensed this Jesus could help him.

The crowds were walking by. Could this Jesus be in the crowd?

Bartimaeus, giving no thought to what others may think of him, started to cry out.

“Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”

People in the crowd told him to stop shouting.

This made him want to shout louder, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me”

Jesus heard his heart cry and told the people close to him, “Tell the man to come to me “

Bartimaeus felt warm breath on his cheek, and a man whispered in his ear.

“ Cheer up, Jesus wants you to go to him”

Bartimaeus leapt up, threw off his cloak and tentatively, with his arms stretched out in front of him, felt his way, hoping he wouldn’t bump into people. He walked to where he thought Jesus would be.

The first words that Bartimaeus heard Jesus say were:

“ What would you like me to do for you? ”

With no thinking required, he replied, “ My rabbi, I want to see”

Jesus replied, “ Go; your faith has healed you”

Bright light hit his eyes, and then the first person he saw was the beautiful, gentle eyes of his healer. Jesus smiled at him.

Bartimaeus looked around, blinking again and again, resting his sight. He was astounded at the sights around him.

He looked up, and once again he could see the blue sky and the birds that were circling above.

He looked at all the different faces swarming around Jesus.

He couldn’t stop smiling.

He had received his miracle.

He was once blind, and now he could see.

The crowd began to move forward as Jesus walked ahead of them. They all began following him.

Bartimaeus left his mat and begging bowl and followed his healer.

His life had changed forever.