“Jesus is here, and He is healing many!” People all over
began to exclaim as word spread about the presence of the Lord. For one group of friends, their thoughts
quickly shifted to their paralyzed friend.
This was their chance to really help him. But it would not be easy. The crowd would be dense and desperate, but
they might never have another chance like this.
So, one by one they began arriving at their friend’s home with hopeful
looks and determination that they would finally see this good man made
physically whole.
In their excitement, they each grabbed a corner of the man’s
bed and lifted him, carrying him to the place where Jesus was. As expected, the crowd was overwhelming. There was no line, just a mob of people
pressing against the door to the house.
The paralytic sighed, “I want to thank each of you for trying to help
me. I don’t want you to feel bad that it
would be impossible to get me through this crowd.” The friends’ eyes met above the man and a
moment of silence is interrupted by their reassurance, “You will see Jesus
tonight and you will be healed.”
They picked up some rope and tied it to the corners of the
bed. Some of the friends climbed up on
the roof while others lifted the bed over their heads and handed it up. Once they were all on top of the house, they
began removing tiles and digging through until the hole was big enough to lower
the bed and their friend down to the Son of God. Jesus surprised them all when he showed that
the man’s greatest need was not to walk, but to be forgiven. Then, he looked at the man and said, “Rise,
pick up your bed, and go home.” Their
excitement and gratitude spilled out of the home as everyone cheered and
rejoiced. He would no longer be known as
the paralytic, but as the one who was forgiven and healed by Jesus himself.
(see Luke 5:15ff.)
Is your mind shifting to a friend who needs to see
Jesus? If you believed that your
friend’s greatest need could be satisfied by Christ, would you drop everything
and do your best to carry her to Him.
Can Christ be seen in you? Is
your love for your friend and for the Lord evident in the importance you place
on them? Bring them in and lay them
before Jesus!
--Darrell
