Daily Delight

In Mark 2:1-12, Jesus is staying at a house in Capernaum and the mob of people discovers where He is and crowds Him again, hoping for answers and healing. A man is present who is desperate to see Jesus, whom he has heard so much about, but he can’t push through the crowd. He is paralyzed and unable to even see over the heads of everyone in front of him. His friends know his predicament so they hoist him on a stretcher and try to maneuver into the house, but they soon realize it won’t be possible. Instead of accepting defeat, they climb to the roof and remove a portion of it so that they can lower him to the place where Jesus is sitting. As a result of their faith, Jesus heals the man’s spirit and his body. He leaves on his feet, restored and full of joy.

Some of the greatest pain to bear in this life is someone else’s. When you can see the despair and brokenness of a loved one, it can be so overwhelming to know how to help them through it. Shame or confusion may even keep them from being able to see Jesus clearly. The only thing you can do is also the greatest thing you can do: take them to the Savior. 

You’re not responsible for their healing. You can’t carry their burdens. You can’t even open their eyes to the truth. But you can lift them onto a stretcher, shove through the confusion with them, and bring them to the capable feet of the One who knows their soul and loves them more than you ever could. When the paralyzed man was laid in front of Him, Jesus didn’t do the obvious thing right away, He spoke to the man’s spirit first. He was the only person who knew the true depths of the man’s need and was able to meet that need. 

We can see a fragment of the whole story, but God knows every detail. He may heal in ways that don’t really make sense to us. Trust that He truly is that Good Father we sing about, and that He desires to heal beyond the surface. Trust enough to lower the stretcher and let Him do the rest.  

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Photo: @nhinton4