And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay ..." (Mark 2:4)
To what lengths would you go to bring others to Jesus?
What amount of work and/or discomfort would you endure to bring others to Jesus?
Which obstacles are you willing to take on to bring others to Jesus?
What kind of creative problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking are you willing to explore to help bring others to Jesus?
I suspect that the value you place on the redeeming and restorative power of Jesus will shape your answer to these questions.
The story from Mark 2, the healing of the paralytic, is a fascinating one simply from the perspective of the friends did so much for the man. I am heartened both by the effort that these friends went to for their paralytic brother, and also their absolute trust that Jesus could do something to heal him.
As I read this story I hear a challenge to find trust in Jesus so paramount that it shapes out actions to those in need. If the friends did not have absolute hope in Jesus to heal, then why go through all the trouble of digging through a thatch roof to beat the crowds? The only reason they did such an outlandish thing was because they felt that they absolutely had to get their friend to Jesus.
Who might you being called to bring to Jesus?
In what ways might others be bringing you to Jesus?
God of healing, may we have such trust in you that others' needs become our focus. Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment