“Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed
man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the
crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and
then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith… he said to the paralytic, ‘I
say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house’”
Mark 2:3-11.
I was so blessed
to be led this morning to this beautiful story that I haven’t read in some
time. It is the perfect timing of our perfect
God who is faithful speak through His word.
As I wrote yesterday it is tough for us not to get disheartened from the
many needs of people all around us. We see
our loved ones and those we care about in need of all kinds of healing. We want to do something to help… anything…but
most of the time the most powerful and beneficial thing we can give them is prayer. We like the friends in our story want to
present them before Jesus in prayer and petition. We place those friends and family members in
need of Jesus on our prayer mat and lower them before His feet. We intercede for those who may be too
discouraged or too sick to approach Him by themselves. There are great blessings from God when we
take the time to approach God with the needs of others. Our story testifies that Jesus was blessed
and moved by not only the sick one but those friends who carried and lowered
their friend in front of Jesus.
I know times when
my friends and family carried me on their prayer mat and walked many tough
miles with me. They lowered me through
the opening and placed me before the feet of Jesus. I know that without those intercessions of
love I would have felt all alone.
Whether you are
one carrying the prayer mat to Jesus or the sick one being carried to Him just
know that God blesses the journey and hears our petitions. One of the most important elements of this
story is the fact that the blessings weren’t given at a distance. We will never receive the embracing comfort
from afar. It is only when we approach
the Savior and enter into His presence that we will feel the absolute
faithfulness of God.
‘We never draw
closer to God when we just live life; it takes deliberate pursuit and attentiveness.’
Francis Chan
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