Love and Obedience
Jesus Heals a Paralytic
1 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. 4 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. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."
6 Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7 "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
8 Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? 9 Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? 10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, 11 "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." 12 He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"
Bee's Thoughts:
The 4 men who carried the paralytic to Jesus were undeterred by the crowd and the hassle of digging through the roof in order to lower him down to Jesus. I see persistency in action... and that also translates into love for someone and also faith in Jesus' healing power.
Love perseveres and never give up easily. Faith in Jesus brings forgiveness and healing too. Our constant prayers for someone also translate into love for that person. Sometimes, earnest and constant prayers can be even more valuable than what we can do for someone we love.
Dear Lord,
Thank you for those who care enough to pray for me everyday. I pray the same for them that you will keep and guide them daily too. May our prayers be a pleasing offering to You. Praise You Lord. Amen
Tommy's Thoughts:
Jesus as Son of Man was fully human. Being a man, Jesus has faced the same kind of temptations, sufferings and longings like every human being. He understands and can easily relates with everything we have to go through in life; our needs, our pains, our struggles.
Jesus is also the Son of God, having the power and authorities of God. He has the authority over temptation, authority over the lives of men, authority over nature, authority to establish truth, authority over demons, authority over sickness and ultimately the authority to forgive our sin.
So, we have a God that truly understand our every predicament and also has the power and authority to help us overcome them, setting us free and healing us. In order for this to happen, all we need is to have the total faith and obedience in Christ. But often, the problem is not we do not want to obey, it’s because we think we are unable to obey or to see how we can do it.
In today’s passage, Jesus asked the paralytic to do exactly what he could not do in himself, to rise up and walk. But he obeyed because Jesus asked him to. And He was healed the very moment he obeyed the command. So, even when we cannot see how we can do what He says, we must respond to Him in obedience in order to receive that power. And it will be there when we do respond!
God’s grace comes in at the point of our obedience.
Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving my sins and making me the kind of person you want me to be. Take control of my life and teach me to always listen to Your voice, knowing what You’re saying to me everyday. May my faith and obedience in You produces fruits, fruits that changes myself and touches the lives of others. In Jesus’ name, I pray, Amen.
