THROW ASIDE YOUR CLOAK

And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart. Get up; he is calling you.” And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus.- MARK 10:49-50

Iknelt on the floor, half-watching a movie and half-writing thank you notes. Dinner was simmering. For once, I felt like a put-together newlywed.

Then I heard the keys in the door. I jumped up to greet my new husband, delighted to see him. But as I jumped up, I also twisted, and as I twisted my rib moved in ways it isn’t supposed to.

I don’t recommend it. Weeks later, my rib is still in pain from the dislocation.

In today’s passage, when a man jumped up to see someone he was healed, rather than being injured, Jesus returned the man’s sight to him.

It’s a wonderful story, but I keep getting stuck on the way he jumped up. A blind man “sprang up” and threw himself into a chaotic crowd. I’m going to be honest—that sounds terrifying.

Yet there is more. Not only did he jump up and not let anything stand between him and Jesus, the blind man threw aside his cloak. As a beggar, his cloak must have been vital to his survival. What if someone stole it? What if, in the crowd, someone displaced it?

But he didn’t care. Like me, jumping up to meet my husband, this man’s excitement and delight to get close to Jesus pushed everything else from mind.

What if we lived like that? What if we threw everything else aside to get to Jesus? Time, tasks, belongings, or even safety? Imagine the delight and healing that would follow.

Lord Jesus, thank you for coming near to us. Please help me to come near to you. Search my heart and open my eyes to see what is holding me back from you today. Shepherd my heart so you are my first priority. Forgive me for idolizing anything above you. Amen.

Consider this: What is standing between you and Jesus today?

Our Strength and Shield

God will provide all you need for living peacefully in the chaos life can produce.

2 Samuel 22:3-7

Life can certainly throw punches, can’t it? Relationships, finances, work pressures, and loneliness—just to name a few—sometimes leave us feeling too weak to keep going. Even if our beliefs are deeply anchored in Christ, all the chaos of life can seem overwhelming. But just like a conductor whose raised arms quiet a stage full of musicians, God calms the raging storm and causes the winds to be still. He remains steady in the storm—our peace amidst the noise.

Are you walking difficult paths and feeling the need for clarity? Do you long for a firm shield as you face harsh words or hurtful memories? What situations are you in that require a protector to fight on your behalf? Take heart, friend. God promises that we will never have to face anything alone. On the contrary, Scripture says, “The Lord is the one who is going ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not desert you or abandon you. Do not fear and do not be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

David’s words of praise to God from today’s passage are still powerful for us. Not only does the Lord shield us from eternal death; He also illuminates our path and strengthens us for each day. Let us hold tightly to the truth that no matter what comes our way, He remains with us.

Put Your Sword Away

Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear … Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

John 18:10–11

Jesus’ arrest in the Garden of Gethsemane ultimately revealed His submission to the Father. When the soldiers came for Him, Jesus had already resolved to drink the cup of suffering—His death on the cross—so that it might be for us a cup of salvation.

But which of the disciples stepped in, as if on cue? The impetuous Simon Peter, of course—wielding a sword! Peter was no stranger to impassioned acts and words. He had attempted to walk on water to Christ. He had tried to rebuke Christ. He had offered to lay down his life for Christ. And yet, soon after stepping up to Jesus’ defense, he would fearfully deny even knowing Him.

Peter’s reaction to seeing his Master arrested is entirely understandable but utterly mistaken. While Peter was willing to fight for Christ here, he was actually fighting against Christ. He was fighting against the very will of God, who had purposed that Jesus would be the atoning sacrifice for sins. Peter’s example teaches us an important lesson; as Calvin urges, “Let us learn to moderate our zeal. And as the wantonness of our flesh ever itches to dare more than God commands, let us learn that our zeal will turn out badly whenever we dare to undertake anything beyond God’s word.”[1]

Knowing Peter’s action needed correction, Jesus intervened with a rhetorical question: “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” He was affirming the part of God’s will that He had just prayed to accept, the very action that later led Him to cry out on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Through His suffering, His glory was magnified, and salvation was freely offered to all who might believe. No path that Peter could have orchestrated could have been better than this one, and he was in error to resist it.

When our impatience seeks to interfere with God’s plans, we must learn to put away our figurative swords. We must trust God’s plan, wait on His timing, and act on His command. The more familiar we are with the Scriptures—knowing the great story, promises, and truths found within them—the more we will understand His plans. But even then, there will be times when His ways are very mysterious to us and we are tempted to fight the path He is leading us along. Perhaps you are doing that right now.

Take Christ’s words to Peter to heart: “Put your sword into its sheath!” Trust God’s loving hand, obey His commands, and follow His lead. He is “the author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2, KJV), and the story He is writing is more glorious than you could imagine or direct for yourself.