Nowadays, news travels fast. Texts, emails, snapchats, and Instagram pictures can be sent or uploaded in just a few seconds. Political news and celebrity gossip are never kept a secret very long, and once something is out, everyone instantly knows.
It wasn't always like this though. In Jesus' time, news was spread through word of mouth. Instead of newspaper headlines and twitter updates, people were telling about Jesus by talking about him. Some people in particular heard of Jesus and his ability to do miracles, and had faith he could heal a paralytic.
"Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:4-5
Can you imagine? Maybe never even seeing Jesus before, but having so much faith in His ability to heal that you lower a paralytic from the roof a building to beat the crowds to get him closer to Jesus? There was no photo or video proof of Jesus' powers, yet their faith was so strong in Jesus.
My prayer is that I grow to always have a faith like this. A faith where I don't need proof to know that God is real and He is powerful. A faith where God is never questioned or challenged and doubts never cross through my mind.
5 comments:
Everyday we place our faith in something. It might be that our our alarm clock wakes us up. Or that our vehicle starts to get us to where we want to go. Or that the plane will make it across the ocean. Either way, we place our faith in something. I too, pray that I would place my faith in God knowing that He can do all things!
Yes, these men had great faith that their friend would be healed, and went so far as to cut a hole in a roof to lower their friend down to where Jesus was. It would have been easier to just sit on the side and pray, hoping for healing, but these men took it a step further and obviously had strong faith in Jesus.
Mark 2:16-17
16 When some teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw Jesus eating with such bad people, they asked his followers, “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 When Jesus heard this, he said to them, “It is the sick people who need a doctor, not those who are healthy. I did not come to invite good people. I came to invite sinners.”
Even though Jesus was perfect, he still made time with sinners like us.
Not only were these men acting on faith but they were not doing it just for themselves...they were trying to seek out healing for their friend. What a true example of friendship.
Yes, love this story of faith and friendship. A great example of obeying the two greatest commandments, loving God and loving people.
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