I am so thankful that Jesus always has time for the lost, broken, needy, hurt and depressed. Today in my time in God's Word I was reading through Mark 2:1-12.
http://www.esvbible.org/Mark+2%3A1-12/
As I was reading it, I was struck by the love with which Jesus deals with the broken. Here is my mental picture of this scene.
Jesus is at a house in the town of Capernaum and many people have gathered around this house to hear him speak and see what he does. So many people had gathered in fact, that the house what filled with people. There was not even standing room left; even the door ways had people in them. So people must have been spilling out into the surrounding streets to try to listen to the teaching of the man called Jesus. All of the people there had come for different reasons. Some people, like the scribes, wanted to hear what he said and catch him in Blasphemy, which at the time was punishable by death. Others, like the sick, wanted merely to believe that Jesus could heal them of their incurable diseases because they had heard he could.
Four men enter the scene carrying a paralytic man. I imagine they were dreading what they saw, fearing that they would never get to see this great man known as Jesus. Some of the four may have even resented the paralytic man for slowing them down so they couldn't have gotten better spots. All of the men were probably dismayed. They could not get in to see Jesus and that their friend who could not move would never have the chance to meet Jesus. The paralyzed man wanted so badly to meet him and tell him how much he meant to them. I think that just as the men thought all hope was lost, one of them stood there pondering the situation. There was a swarming mass of people in front of them. they could not even get close to the doorway and could not hear Jesus over the commotion within. Then he looks at the surrounding house and realizes that they are almost completely deserted. Almost as if you see the light bulb bursting into an idea; the spies the one place that doesn't have people occupying every, the roof. They can get to the roof. So up they hoist their paralytic friend, who I hope was informed of this plan or it might have been very confusing, to the top of the roof of the house that Jesus was in.
Then we are given a detail. The men removed the roof above Jesus.
I wonder what was going on in the house at the time of this happening. Where people still talking? Or did a great silence suddenly come over the crowd as a portion of the roof gets ripped outward and reveals the four faces of the men and their paralyzed friend.
After the men remove the roof, they lower their friend who can't move into the midst of all the people in the entire room. Jesus does not tell them to get out, he does not ask the man why they had done what they had done. Rather, he looks into those lost, broken, terrified, sick, hurt, hopeful, fearful eyes, a beggars eyes, my eyes, your eyes and says "Son (daughter), your sins are forgiven"
That is what awaits people who put their faith in Jesus. Oh, that we would live like the paralytic man. Amen
Tell me what you are thankful for, and how Jesus is blessing your life. I would love to hear about you.
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