Text: Mark 10:46-52

“Be quiet!” many of the people yelled at him. But he only shouted louder, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v 48).

When preacher William Seymour took his message on Holy Ghost baptism to Los Angeles in 1906, he met with stiff resistance. On returning to church the day after his first sermon, he found the door padlocked. Undeterred, Seymour organized a 10 day fast that ushered in a move of the Holy Spirit and birthed the Azusa Street Revival. A resident of the neighborhood described the scene thus: “They shouted three days and three nights. As people came in they would fall under God’s power. They shouted until the foundation of the house gave way, but no one was hurt.”^[1] 

When blind Bartimaeus encountered Jesus in Jericho, he did his fair share of shouting. As soon as the beggar realized who was passing by, “he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v.47) When rebuked by the crowd, “he only shouted louder.” (v.48). It wasn’t too long before all that shouting got Jesus’ attention. “He stopped and said, ‘Tell him to come here.’” (v.49). Ironically, the very same crowd that had tried to drown out Bartimaeus’ cries now encouraged him to cheer up, because Jesus was calling him. (v. 49). Bartimaeus wasted no time in letting Jesus know his deepest desire. “My Rabbi,” he declared, “I want to see!” (v.51). “And Jesus said to him, ‘Go, for your faith has healed you.’ Instantly, [Bartimaeus] could see, and he followed Jesus down the road.” (v.52).

Seymour was similarly rewarded for his persistence in seeking the Holy Spirit. Members of the same church that initially shunned him soon began to attend his meetings. Before long, the undertaking grew into what is now credited as the origin of the Pentecostal movement.

No matter the challenge, difficulty, pain or circumstance, cry out to your Father, who rewards those that sincerely seek Him. (Heb 11:6).

^[1]  Synan, Vinson (2001). The Century of the Holy Spirit: 100 years of Pentecostal and Charismatic Renewal, 1901–2001. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers. pp. 42–45.