Desperate for God

Four men rip the roof off a house then lower a paralytic through the opening. It was the only way they could get to Jesus according to Mark 2:3. Their actions speak volumes, for it reveals their deep belief that Jesus could actually do something for their paralyzed friend. It also speaks of desperation. How long had this man been paralyzed? There’s no way to know for the Bible doesn’t tell us, but it was long enough, and the situation bleak enough, for these men to understand that Jesus was their only hope. If He didn’t do something for their friend, that was it. There were no other options. 

I find Jesus’ response interesting. He was at once impressed by their faith. But the first thing He said was “Son, your sins are forgiven you . . . and you are made upright and in right standing with God” (Mark 2:5 Amplified). This caused no end of grief for some of the scribes who were there and who immediately accursed Him of blaspheming. “Who can forgive sins except God?” they said.

Jesus’ response to them was classic, “Which is easier to say to the paralyzed man, Your sins are forgiven and put away, or to say Rise, take up your sleeping pad and start walking about and keep on walking? But that you may know positively and beyond a doubt that the Son of Man has the right and authority and power on earth to forgive sins—He said to the paralyzed man, I say to you, arise, pick up and carry your sleeping pad and be going on home.”

What happened here? Didn’t Jesus understand that the paralytic had come for healing? Yes. But He is a God of order. He loves us and wants us healed and whole. But more than that, He wants to deal with our sin nature and our sins, as only God can, first and most importantly, to reconcile us to Himself, but also because He knows that many times it is our sins that make us sick: the worry, the anger, the strife, the wanton lifestyles, etc. And sometimes before we’re willing to allow God to deal with either our sins or our health issues, we need to become desperate; we need to come to the place where we understand there is no where else to go.

The thing I love about this story is that Jesus didn’t rebuke the paralytic. He didn’t say, “Well, it’s about time you showed up!” Rather He called him “Son” a term of endearment and then followed it with “your sins are forgiven.” I don’t believe God will ever turn away anyone who is desperate for Him. But He may not always respond in the way we want. I’m sure the paralytic was disappointed when Jesus addressed his sin first rather than his physical needs. We always seem to invert what’s important. But the point is that God is there for us. And we don’t have to wait until we become desperate, either, before we seek Him. But for those who are, rest assured you have Someone who is willing and able to bring the needed remedy to your problem or situation. And no matter how He deems to work it out, His first words to you will be “Son” or “Daughter.” And then, in the face of His great love, you’ll wonder why it took you so long to go to Him.

Until next week,

Sylvia