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February 18 – Mark 2:1-12

What faith the paralytic’s friends had! The crowd didn’t stop them. When they couldn’t get through, they didn’t give up. They found another way to get to Jesus, even though they had to carry their friend to someone else’s roof and open a hole in it!

I often wonder what the paralytic must have been saying to his friends. Did he want to be lowered through the roof? Did he have enough faith to go that far? Or was he protesting as his friends insisted that they were going to get him to Jesus no matter what?


Interestingly, verse 5 tells us that “when Jesus saw their faith” (the faith of the friends), He forgave the sins of the paralytic. This should encourage us not only to bring our own concerns before the Lord but also the concerns of others. Our faith can impact others’ lives!


Jesus doesn’t heal the man right away, and I wonder what the man and his friends thought of that. They came to Jesus for physical healing, like so many others had, but Jesus simply says, “Son, your sins are forgiven” (v. 5).


Was there a moment when the friends thought, “That’s great, but that’s not why we just dug a hole in the roof?” Did they realize that forgiveness of sins is a much greater gift than physical healing? Scripture doesn’t say, but I think it’s a fair assumption that they were at least surprised. The teachers of the law certainly were. In fact, they were shocked. In forgiving sins, Jesus had just claimed to have God’s authority, and in doing so, He told the whole room Who He was (and is!). So, the friends’ faith in overcoming obstacles to come to Jesus sparked an encounter with Him that led to forgiveness, healing, and a revelation of Jesus as the Son of God—a true display of God’s glory all the way around!


In countering the disbelief of the teachers of the law, Jesus heals the paralytic, showing that the authority He just claimed to forgive sins is truly His. The miracle attests to the fact that Jesus is God’s Son. So, the friends end up receiving more than they had hoped for. Their friend was healed and forgiven! But that is the way with our loving, compassionate, generous God. He always blesses beyond what we can imagine, though often not how we envision.


What problem or concern is on your heart today? Sometimes each of us is the paralytic, and sometimes we are one of the friends. Are you in need, or does your heart go out to a friend in need? In either case, bring that need to Jesus. If your faith is wavering, ask Him to strengthen it. (He does that, too, you know.) Then, lay that concern at His feet and trust Him to act in the way that is best. He may not answer your prayer in the way you hope or expect, but you can trust Him to answer you with love and forgiveness, which is what every one of us needs most of all.

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My name is Melissa Anderson. I'm a spiritual director and ordained pastor who loves God, people, and words. You can read more about me by clicking the button below.

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