When Time Stood Still

 

When time stands still, it's not usually a good thing, right? The Saturday morning I got the call that my son had been in an accident and med-flighted to the nearest trauma center was one of those moments. And even though it's been 15 years, my life was immediately divided into two timelines, two different worlds. But as I was reading Mark this morning, I found a place where time stood still, and it has a very positive connotation. Let's explore.

In Mark 10, Bartimaeus heard the crowd as Jesus came near. When he heard that the crowd had gathered because Jesus was there, he began to cry out to Him. He yelled, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!" The crowd didn't like it at all, so they told him to be quiet. Do you ever feel that way? As caregivers, people often acknowledge our situations, like the crowd acknowledged Bartimaeus' blindness, but they want us to be quiet about our need. And that's okay, I get that. 

While the crowd was pushing Bartimaeus to be quiet, in verse 49, it says Jesus stood still. It was like He just stopped in the moment - just for Bartimaeus. He stopped to hear him. Then Jesus called to Bartimaeus!

Sometimes, the crowd that is yelling at us to be quiet can be our own thoughts. It can be doubt, fear, or anxiety that try to beat us down and tell us we are not worth listening to. That's when Jesus stops and calls for us. I think He even leans in to hear us better, to pull us closer. Jesus stopped for someone everyone else was trying to ignore. 

When Bartimaeus knew that Jesus had heard his cry and called for him, he tossed his garment aside. Why? It was the garment worn by the blind and identified him as such. It would be the same as a red-tipped cane today. When people saw his outer garment - they knew he was blind. I think he tossed the garment aside, knowing that Jesus was going to heal him. Talk about faith!

Bartimaeus knew his whole world was about to change - because Jesus stopped for him. When he was blind and in need, he did not listen to the crowd. As caregivers, we have to push past the crowded thoughts and feelings in our minds, too, so we can reach out to God. When we do - He will meet us there.

Today, when life's challenges come crushing in, I will be louder than the doubts and fears that shout in my mind. I'll sing louder, pray harder, and worship more passionately, knowing that God is listening to my heart. I'll remind myself that He does hear my cry, and He doesn't turn away. Instead, He stops. I will lift my broken heart to Him in raw honesty and let Him pour in His healing salve. I'll remind myself that when the world wants me to be quiet about my caregiving needs - God steps toward me and listens to those quiet whispers and loud tears of my heart. He is near. I can trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

Download Poems for Caregivers from my website. It's on my free download page. It contains poems I've written as well as a special poem that was written by my grandmother.