Long before I was able to buy a house, I often went to open houses on weekends to see how prices were trending and what you could get for your money. At one of these I met a young real estate agent. I explained that I had no idea when I’d be in a position to buy something. He would call me about every six months, and when the time arrived, I asked him to be my buyer-broker—because he was persistent without being pestiferous.

Blind Bartimaeus was persistent, too, calling out again and again for Jesus to pity him. Some in the crowd thought he was a pain and should just shut up; but Jesus heard him and restored his sight.

We sometimes forget that the Lord, too, is persistent: persistent in love, persistent in mercy, persistent in restoring people to his Father.

Look for a lively setting of Psalm 126; few things are as silly as singing “we are filled with joy” in tones of unremitting sadness. When the Lord restored the exiles to Israel, it was cause for great rejoicing. Even today, observant Jews at the end of the Passover seder pray, “Next year in Jerusalem.”

There’s a wonderful hymn in many Protestant hymnals called “I Will Arise and Go to Jesus,” usually sung to an equally wonderful Southern Harmony hymn tune called RESTORATION. The verses invite everyone—sinners, weak and wounded, thirsty, weary, poor—into the tireless, welcoming arms of Jesus, who is “full of pity, love and pow’r.”