Day 21 | Healing a Paralytic

Read Mark 2:1-12

Jesus has just returned home from traveling, and it didn’t take long for the crowds to overflow from the house where He was staying. Jesus performs a miracle in response to the faith of five men. Though it is doubtful that these men had any clue that they were seeking out the Messiah, they did have faith that Jesus was the person that could affect change.

It would have been easy for these men to get discouraged and to turn back. Instead, they continued to take whatever steps necessary to get their friend to Jesus. They pursued Jesus regardless of how crazy they seemed to the onlookers. Jesus recognized this collective effort, and Mark tells us that Jesus saw their faith. It is from this statement that we learn that bringing people to God is a joint effort. To be clear, only Jesus has the authority to forgive, but He has asked us to participate in this miracle of forgiveness. We have a vital role in “carrying” others when they can’t get through the chaos of life, and at times we must be willing to go the extra, extra mile.

We too often confuse “carrying” people to Jesus as merely an invitation to church. The motive behind this is pure, but it is not the same as picking up the corner of a mat and feeling the weight of helping someone get to Jesus. The simple truth is you have a unique ability to bring people right up to Jesus, where they have a clear option to choose to trust in Him or to reject Him as Savior. You do this by asking God, “what can I share with them that will help them see the truth of who You are?” Sharing the Bible will move them closer, but sharing the Bible through the lens of your life will move them miles closer! We all have people in our lives that are hungry for God, and they need you to pick up a corner and participate in their redemption story. The only question you have to ask is, “am I willing?”

Pray for 10 minutes