Faith Walks
Hello Bride of Christ,
Do you ever feel stuck? You feel as if you cannot move. This feeling could be literal as in you are physically paralyzed or could be metaphorical as in your thoughts are clouded or blocked. The feeling of stuck either way is very real and can be discouraging. Often when battling this situation depression sets in and begins to cause us to spiral into hopelessness. This is why the summer I spent as an intern at a rehabilitation center were all patients were receiving physical therapy for their physical disability spoke so profoundly to me spiritually.
Each individual I had met that summer was paralyzed physically, but their spirit, faith and dependence on Jesus was not paralyzed at all. They made the following scripture we will look at together today come alive. These people were living testimonies who taught me faith walks!
Take time here to pause and read three written accounts of the same situation in the gospels: Matthew 9:1-8, Mark 2:3-12, and Luke 5:17-26.
Mark and Luke give details to help us visualize the situation and what was taking place. They tells us Jesus was in a house in Capernaum for a couple of days preaching and teaching the word. When people heard this they immediately gathered where Jesus was and the house became so crowed there was no more room to receive people not even by the door!
The people who gathered were of all types: self righteous (Pharisees), knowledgeable men (teachers of the law), and seekers (those in need of healing and desiring to understand). As Luke captured most importantly the Lord and His power to heal were present as well.
Now like the folks in the rehabilitation center at which I worked one summer at this event there was a man who was paralyzed. This man was brought by friends on a bed to be set before Jesus. However, when they arose scripture tells us, "they could not come near Him (Jesus) because of the crowd." (Mark 2:4) How many times do you feel stuck because no matter what you do your efforts are crowded out? These four friends and the paralytic man must have traveled some distance and probably felt like they did their best to get there as quick as they possibly could as soon as they heard Jesus was in town to then be faced with a crowd. However, the account of these men does not end there...the immediate next actions scripture captures gives us great insight to the faith these men had. Their faith scripture says caused them to " go up on the housetop, and let him down with his bed through the tiling into the midst before Jesus." (Luke 5:19)
The faith of these 5 men propelled them to climb a roof and lower a man through the roof! These 5 men demonstrated true belief. They believed they had heard about Jesus visit for a reason. They had believed that Jesus had the power to heal. They believed the healing was theirs for the having. Their belief was so strong no crowd, roof, or obstacle was going to stand in their way. Jesus quickly took notice of this faith and responds, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you." (Matthew 9:2) Sins are forgiven you?
Scripture does not tell us the real reason these men were bringing their friend before Jesus, but one could think because it makes mention that he is a paralytic it was for physical healing. However, what had this man stuck was his spiritual issues. Jesus met His spiritual need of forgiveness first and foremost. But since the Pharisees were questioning Jesus' authority Jesus goes on to heal the paralytics physical issues as well and states, "But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins- I say to you arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." (Luke 5:24) Then scripture says, "Immediately he rose up before them, took up what he has been lying on, and departed to his own house, glorifying God." (Luke 5:25)
Bride of Christ, as I learned that summer at the rehabilitation center the unstuck feeling had nothing to do with the physical state of the person. Whether God chooses to heal and restore our physical state has nothing to do with our faith but with how God will be most glorified. Our faith impacts our spiritual walk and empowers us to take action and show up no matter what. Much like the five men mentioned in this scripture the people at the rehabilitation center showed up everyday for treatment for their physical bodies but left each day with their spirit being restored through the testimonies of their friends and other patients. You too can learn from others testimonies and others can learn from yours. Allow Jesus today to see your faith in action and may you be able to spiritually walk away glorying God as did this man in scripture who met Jesus with the help of some friends.
