So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called….
And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. Mark 10:49-50
… let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, Heb. 12:1
Once the Lord gives you an instruction concerning a move you should make; He stands still watching over His word to see it coming to pass. After the word must have been given, it becomes your responsibility to optimise the provision as an already settled process and not as a work that is still pending.
The word given is for you to cross over to a place of change or difference. Wherever He asks you to move to or whatever He asks you to do is for a place or an experience where there shall be in your life a manifestation of the triumph of Christ and the fragrance of His presence. The battle is not to be won, it is already won; the work is not to be done, it is already done (from the foundation of the world – Heb. 4:3). Your duty is not to do in a sense but to use the provision already made.
He is not out to abandon you after the word has been given; He watches over His word to see it performed. He has moved not to abandon you, but to lead you as your frontrunner to the place that awaits you.
To cross over according to His instruction, there is a lesson to be learnt from Bartimeus for whom we vividly see the standing still of the real Ark in the gospels (check the last editions). Not only did he know that Christ had the provision for him, he also had an intense desire for the provision. His desire was so intense that he cried out loud to use the provision. People tried to shout him down, but he was resolved so be passed by. He intensified his plea for help by shouting more. His cry for help was so powerful that the Lord stood still and called for Him.
Upon being told that the Lord called for him, Bartimeus flung off himself his cloak to receive what awaited him. He got what he wanted eventually. There are people with intense desire for one thing that is needful. Be encouraged to maximise the present provision that the Lord has for you. Now is the acceptable time … You desire to cross over; The Lord is willing to wait for you to cross. Whatever direction He faces concerning you with His word, there can be no more hurdle or hindrance. Whatever hurdle you see after He must have given the word will only be the one you permit or accommodate.
If Bartimeus will fling off his garment which was significant to his old estate and unnecessary for His desired estate, it is time you marked out those things that are presently important but totally not useful for your desired future.
According to R. Alan Culpeppe, in the recurring theme of garment in the wider context of Mark, there is a significant representation. Though an avoidable reference, it was mentioned because of its significance to the details of the narrative and the wider context of the account of Mark.
In Bartimeus particular case, there has been suggestion that the garment was spread in front of him so that he sat on part of it with the rest covering his shoulder. The garment was unclean, yet a covering. He sat on it while it also served as the receptacle for the alms he was collecting. This shows how important the garment was. As a cover, as a seat, and as a receptacle. He will need to throw the garment off for him to jump up. Throwing the garment means he will possibly be throwing off all his collection for the day.
The significance of Bartimeus garment points to the important things that you have to forego to receive your needed desire and what a disciple must leave behind to follow Jesus. Some of them of these could be sins that naturally will beset you; some of them could be superfluous weight you do not need for your race. Such things are to be counted as garbage so as to receive the excellency of the gift from Christ. If you would do this, you would have beaten all odds to appropriate heaven’s provision and blessing for you. Cheers.