“When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven
Mark 2:5
The story of Jesus healing a paralyzed man in Capernaum is inspiring for many reasons. Not only does it reveal the priority of Jesus but it teaches us something dynamic about the nature of friendship, and faith that Jesus honours.
For starters, we are not sure whether or not this paralyzed man himself actually believed in Jesus, we never got the chance to see his faith but we saw that of his friends, and it was a beautiful sight to behold. The sheer determination of these friends is evident in their actions. Faced with a crowded gathering, they navigated through the masses, carrying their incapacitated companion on a mat.
Upon arriving at the house where Jesus was teaching, the friends encountered another obstacle – the crowd was so dense that they couldn’t get through. However, their faith refused to be deterred by mere physical barriers. Undeterred, they devised an unconventional plan, carrying their friend onto the roof, breaking through the ceiling, and lowering him down before Jesus. Their struggle paints a vivid picture of the lengths to which true friends are willing to go for the sake of their loved ones, especially when hope is anchored in the possibility of encountering the transformative touch of Jesus.
Verse 5 tells us that Jesus saw their faith. The faith of these friends serves as a powerful lesson in persistent friendship and unwavering faith. In our lives, we also have friends and loved ones facing various forms of paralysis—be it physical, emotional, or spiritual. The example set by these friends is an encouragement to us to take our friends before Jesus by faith, persistently interceding on their behalf until God intervenes.
So, let’s conclude today by doing a little exercise. Take about five minutes to meditate about your friends and loved ones that are having one challenge or the other. Write down their names and their struggles (at least the one you are aware of). Now that you have it written down, it’s time to start talking to God on their behalf; trust God on their behalf, have faith on their behalf until God intervenes, don’t stop.
Dear Lord, your word says that we should pray for each other so that we may be healed; it says that the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. So Lord, I pray for [mention the name of your love one] and ask for [what you want God to ] in Jesus name.
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