Yesterday we looked at the story of blind Bartimaeus, which ends this way:

And the blind man said to him, “Rabbi, let me recover my sight.” And Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way. (Mark 10.51 – 52, ESV)

“Your faith has made you well.” It’s the same thing Jesus said to the woman who touched his garment:

And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.” (Mark 5.34, ESV)

I think Jesus is being gracious. After all, it’s his power that made them well, isn’t it? Or is it both?

I walk into a dark room and flip the switch. All of a sudden, there’s light! Why? and How? Was it my switch-flipping that made the light come on? Yes, but only if there’s a giant electricity generator nearby, transmission lines bringing the electricity to my neighborhood, lines from the main line to my house, internal house wiring to a working light bulb, and a switch.

THEN, when I, in faith that all that power is there, flip the switch, we have light.

• Power but nobody flipping the switch = no light.
• Switch flipping when there’s no power = no light.
• Power + switch flipping = light.

The power is there. Are we flipping the switch? Or, to change the metaphor, if we believed that the prayer gun was loaded, what would we aim it at?

Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you… (1 Samuel 12.23, ESV)

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (Matthew 7.7, ESV)