Read Mark Chapter 2, verses 1-12. It is a wonderful story of 4 friends of a paralyzed man. They heard that Jesus was at His home teaching about God's message. So they carried their friend to the house, but when they got there, there were so many people crowding inside the house, outside the house - they couldn't even get near. So they dug a hole right in the roof above where He was speaking and lowered their friend in. Jesus was so impressed by their belief that He could heal him, that He said "Young man, your sins are forgiven"! And a little further on in the story He said to the man "Stand up, take your mat, and go home". Immediately the man stood up, folded up his mat, and walked out while everyone was watching!
There is so much to think about and ponder in this story. So often we come to Jesus asking for a miracle: to cure a sick sister, nephew, friend, to bring back a child who has strayed, save a troubled marriage. And in our prayer we pray for what WE think we know is needed to make them whole and happy again. These 4 friends went to great lengths to get the paralyzed man into His presence. They believed so strongly that He could heal him. I wonder what they thought when His statement was "your sins are forgiven". I bet they thought "But, we thought you were going to heal him!" And He did. God always knows our needs. He is always happy when He sees our faith. He will penetrate the surface of our need and deal with the core problem. He deals not only with our pain, but with the source of our pain, not just with the illness of our bodies, but with the illness of our hearts.
It is hard to believe that God cares and hears every one of us who pray and seek His miracles. Like in the story, His house is so crowded. And, like the friends in the story, we must bring those who need prayer to Him, and we must be persistent - keep asking, keep seeking, be persistent - and BELIEVE that God sees our faith and forgives our sins and will hear and answer our prayer. Trust Him for the results!
I have asked Brian to make me a link called "Prayer Requests". You will be able to click on it and add your prayer requests to the list. And then we can all pray for those needs. Like the 4 friends in the story, we will bring those we love right to the feet of Jesus - KNOWING that He hears us, and will answer.
Please share times when you've brought someone or something to Jesus for healing - and He heard your prayer and answered.
1 comment:
One of the things that has been difficult for me - and still is -- is coming to understand that I DO NOT have to pray for forgiveness for the same offense over and over and over again. Once we have confessed and truly repented (when Jesus healed, he generally said something like "Go, and sin no more." Truly repent means to change our behavior) God throws our sin(s) as far as the east is from the west - He remembers them no more. He desires that we remember them no more - other than to change the behavior. Don't carry guilt and shame, don't ruminate over past failures/mistakes/sins. If we continue to bring the same sin up again and again and again, God might say "I don't know what you are talking aobut" because to Him, it is forgotten.
Now, that sounds so simple, but it surely can be a long and painful process. Stay the course. Keep the faith.
Check out James 5:16; John 15:7 and Matthew 7:7-8. And don't forget the Prodigal Son. What a faithful, awesome God we serve!
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