Cursed

Deuteronomy 11: 18, 19 The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

We are talking here about the converse life – one of curses and not blessings – if we choose to disobey the Lord and his commands.

This is quite a stern warning here.  Our kids will be affected by our choices. Our produce, or outcome of what we do with our hands, will also be cursed.  That which we possess may soon possess us, and we won’t experience a blessing.  In fact, when we come and go, we will find it hard to live, move, and have our being – because we no longer will be under his blessings.

Is God mean?  No way.  He’s holy.

He has given us his Holy Spirit to enable us with his power to obey his commands to love him with all of our hearts, and our neighbor as ourselves.  So when we choose not to do this, we are choosing (not his choosing) to walk away from the blessings, and out from under the refreshing rain that he sends in season.

When I first had my kids, it didn’t take me long to realize that when I made bad choices, they copied my every move and my every attitude.  I begin to straighten up and “fly right,” as my mom used to say.

I don’t want to experience a cursed life.  And I don’t have to, because of Him and his grace, love, and power that draws me to obey.

The Other Half

For days now, we’ve been talking about the blessings of the Lord that fall on those who obey.

But what about when we disobey and do not follow the Lord and his commands?

The second half of Deuteronomy 11 lists the counter life that will be ours – one lacking blessings – and instead full of curses.  Yikes. 

Verse 16 says we will be cursed in the city and the country, instead of blessed.  Our “basket” and “kneading trough” will also be cursed, according to verse 17.

We just visited South Carolina where we saw women making sweetgrass baskets with their hands, and they were quite pricey.  These women spent at least 5 hours per tiny basket (5 in) and they sold for $25-$40. The larger bowls were approximately $200.

We all spend at least a third of our waking ours using our hands to provide for our family, by working, preparing, or serving them.  And if we want all of what we do for them to be blessed, we must obey the Lord.

It’s a simple instruction to follow His commands, with great consequences if we don’t.  

Don't Veer

Deuteronomy 11:14 Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

All of the blessings we’ve been talking about for days now are for those who follow the Lord’s commands.

This verse says don’t turn to the right or to the left, and don’t follow other gods or serve them.

It’s easy to get our eyes off of the Lord and His ways, and get bogged down in life and the why’s and the why not’s of our own circumstances.  When we do this, we are tempted to veer.

In other words, God says to love him with all of our hearts, and we slowly veer onto a path of loving other things more than Him – like attaining wealth, enhancing our own beauty; or even loving “the church” more than Him.  We end up landing in a ditch, down in the bottom of a pit, where we can’t see the Lord’s blessings in our lives.

Perhaps we start following other gods and serving other things, when we become selfish, bitter, or wounded – not taking the time to look up and give, receive God’s healing, and His ability to forgive others, as we have been forgiven. This type of pattern steers us wrong, and we end up off the side of a cliff somewhere – again below the level where we can see clearly God’s blessings in our lives.

Don’t turn aside.  Stay on the straight path.  And when you start to veer, correct your steering quickly, and follow Him.

His Placement

Deuteronomy 11:13 The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. 

Who wants to always be the last person in line, the end of the pick when teams are being formed, or the final call when sitting waiting for something good?  No one.  We like to have our named called first when something good is happening.  It makes us feel wanted and special – picked and chosen!

If we pay attention to the Lord’s commands (remember: loving the Lord with all our hearts and our neighbor as ourselves), then we are at the top – never the bottom!

The bible says in several places that those who are first shall be last, and those last shall be first, but it’s never referring to we ourselves doing the placement.  It’s God who places, who chooses, and who sets. And he never puts us last or at the bottom of a pile to be trampled on and forgotten.

Feeling like the tail, today?  Seeing yourself underneath a pile from which you can’t even budge loose?  God didn’t place you there.

So ask him to let you see where He places you, and you’ll soon realize the view is from the top – not the bottom – because that’s His placement for you!

Rain is Coming

Deuteronomy 11:12 The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. 

The storehouse of God’s bounty – sounds like a great title for a book or a movie – doesn’t it?  God’s bounty includes everything we need, everything on earth and above it, and all that He is.  That’s quite a load of blessings, stored up in the heavens.

When we are careful to obey his commands, the heavens open and the rains come down “in season” to bless the work of our hands.  So if it’s hot and dry right now, and your “land” is feeling a bit scorched and cracked – wait and pray for the rain – it’s coming. 

I’m often amazed at the grass in my yard and how dry and brittle it becomes in the hot days of the summer, and how green and lush it becomes even after just one good rain.  And God’s rain – well it’s just like that – only more effective, more refreshing, and more dependable than the rain clouds that sometimes pass over us, just teasing us with the promise of rain.

The final part of this verse says we will be the lender, and not the borrower. 

Dear Lord, thank you for your bounty.  I pray that the windows of heaven open today on those who are reading, and that your bounty is seen and experienced in the form of cool rain today…

Abundantly Prosperous

The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

The Lord already mentioned this blessing, but he’s mentioning it here again, in case we didn’t get it the first time.

There’s even a change in wording here from “blessing” to “abundant prosperity,” to those who obey his commands.

Again, our children, that which we possess, and the lands on which we dwell, will be fruitful and prosperous.

Many might read this and jump up and down, awaiting a windfall of money raining form the sky, because prosperity in our culture means wealth and riches.

Prosperity can mean wealth, but wealth is more than money – it means to thrive and flourish.  And to thrive and flourish has nothing to do with having money.

There are millionaires who are afraid at night of losing their millions, and they don’t sleep in peace.  And there are those who have very little of anything this world has to offer, and they sleep all night without a care in the world.

Those who are going about their Father’s business realize the great peace that comes from knowing Him and obeying Him, and they are abundantly wealthy.

It’s those who are still striving for the other kind of wealth who never seem to grasp it. 

Abundantly prosperous.  Rethink what that means to you.

Blessed Barns

Deuteronomy 28: 8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

Barns are used to store things, right?  They’re used to house animals from the foul weather, to keep the grain for the winter months, and to house the farm implements so that they don’t rust when left outside.  It’s a place of protection, and it’s also a thing of beauty. 

Have you ever driven in the countryside and come around a curve in the road, only to see a beautiful red barn tucked under a few huge oak trees, atop a hill of green grass, with a pond of sparkling water below?  It’s breathtaking to see, even if you only see it in an artist’s rendition on canvas!

I want a blessed barn like that on the property of my home.  I want the place where I house the things that are important to me to be blessed. I want everything I put my hands to, to be blessed.

And finally, that which is yet to be mine (the land he is giving me) will be blessed as well, if I follow the Lord’s commands.

Holy and consecrated for his use – blessed.

Fleeing Away

Verse 7: The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

More blessings from the Lord, as we obey his commands, and the list goes on.

There will be enemies that try to destroy you.  It might be an enemy of defeat in your mind that whispers discouraging lies about who you are.  It might be an enemy of fear that rises its ugly head when your husband loses his job.  Or it might be an enemy of unforgiveness that wants to keep you full of bitterness and angry. 

There are all sorts of enemies that rise up against us – but this verse promises defeat to those enemies!

Again, a great visual here! 

Picture an enemy coming to the door of your house – say his name is “Fear” – and he starts to knock.  You peek out the window and recognize him as a stranger because no fear lives in your house.  You pray and send him away and as you look out the window, you see him split into seven pieces and disintegrate before you until he’s no longer even recognizable as “Fear” but rather a blown up mess being carried away with the wind.

That’s the fallout, my friend, of walking with God.  Enemies might come to your door, but they’re not taking up residence in your house.

Coming in and Going out...

Verses 4-6: The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks. Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.  You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

Here are listed the specifics of the areas where you will be blessed if you simply follow the Lord and his commands (again – summed up in loving him with all your heart and in loving your neighbor as yourself.)

Your children will reap the blessings that overtake you, simply because they carry your name.  That for which you work hard labor to achieve will be blessed, and even all of the possessions that are yours.  The things you work to achieve with your hands, in creativity and in provision for your family, will be blessed.

And I really love the last part – you will be blessed coming and going.

Can you see this picture? 

You rise in the morning and tend to your family. You work hard during the day being creative and providing for those that you love.  You take care of all of those things God has entrusted into your hands.  You leave the house and you return again, over and over, living your life – hearing his voice – and obeying his commands as you move.

And in all that you – you are blessed. 

Did you know that the definition of “blessed” is to be made holy or consecrated?  It doesn’t mean that you will have millions in the bank or never stub your toe.  But it does mean that whatever comes your way, you are being perfected in his sight to be just like him. 

And that is what being blessed is all about.

Blessings

Deuteronomy 28 – what a chapter!

Verses 1-2 set the tone for what will follow those who are careful to fully obey the Lord and all that he commands.  They will be set high above all nations on earth and will be accompanied by blessings.

One verse says this: “You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.”

Taking that literally for us in our current culture, it says this to me: 

If we obey the Lord’s word to love him with all our hearts, and our neighbor as ourselves, we will be blessed where we live, and where we journey to, and where we play.

I live in the city, but I sure enjoy driving out in the country.  Some live in the country and drive into the city only to purchase things they need to live.  But it doesn’t matter which place I choose to call home; I’m going to be blessed.  And that’s because the blessing of the Lord is within me, and it follows me wherever I lay my head.

Blessings accompany those who obey. 

What sort of blessings?  We’ll read more in days to follow, but it puts my heart at peace knowing that as a child of a Father who knows best (not just a TV dad who’s acting the part), I can fully trust that if I obey what he tells me to do, my going and coming will be blessed.  

Will there be hard times? Sure.  But I will rest in knowing my Father’s blessings are accompanying me and working things together for good.

Be blessed today.

Fix Them

Deuteronomy 11: Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

I love these verses.  In fact, these are good verses to teach visually with your kids.  Take some bible verses and write them into shapes, or on long pieces of paper, and then physically tie them to each one’s hands and wrap around each one’s forehead.  What a great visual!

It’s interesting that the verse mentions the hands and the foreheads as being the place to bind and imprint the truth of the word.  Our hands can either strike others, or bless them.  And our minds can either move us forward, or keep us in chains.

And it’s so important that his word be a part of our being that we must teach it to our children as well.  When?  Every part of the day!  When we’re at home, when we’re on the road, when we’re going to bed, and when we’re getting up in the morning – all the time.

The truth of the word doesn’t just jump into our psyche and into our spirits by casual encounters.  It takes “fixing” it to our hands and minds.  It takes action on our part to memorize, practice, and believe it.

What are you “fixin’” to do, today, as we might say in Texas?

That's the Truth

Numbers 23:19 God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?

One of the most memorable stories in the bible is the one of Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt.  But do you remember how many times Pharoah changed his mind when he said they could go, but then said they couldn’t?  That’s the way we humans are.  We change our minds, and we are proud to have the opportunity and capability to do so.

However, God is not human.  He does not lie, and he does not change his mind.  Once he speaks that something is so, he acts and fulfills his promises.

We are born with the propensity to lie and deceive.  It doesn’t take very many months for a young toddler to learn to hide, to manipulate, to trick, and to deceive his parents.  That’s why we need a Savior.

But we often project our own human tendencies and qualities over to God, and this verse is a good reminder to us daily that he is not like us.  There is no evil in him, and he is pure and holy.

Just this simple reminder can set our hearts at peace, knowing that once we are his.  He takes care of us, and he loves us.  And there’s nothing deceitful, or untruthful about that – at all.

He said he loves us.  He said he’s for us.  He said he will never leave us. 

And that’s the truth.

To Sum it All Up

Philippians 4: 18-19 …I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Paul ends this chapter by stating how those to whom he’s writing have been faithful to support him in his ministry by giving.  He commends them and tells them how their giving was a pleasant aroma to God, and that it pleased him.

 

When we give to those who serve us, God is pleased.  When we supply the needs of others out of the abundance of what we have received, it pleases God.  And when we listen to and obey his commands, and think on things that are above all of the things we see with our eyes, peace is ours.  That’s the gist of this chapter.

But the last sentence in the above passage is one that is quoted over and over again to people in need, to encourage them to believe that Jesus is the supplier of all that we need.

Sometimes we think we need money, and we need it now.  Other times we believe hard for healing, and it doesn’t come.  And still other times we ask for direction and we really don’t hear an answer.

Our needs are sometimes deeper than the tangible things we see.  We might need to wait, so that we become more perfect in our faith.  The healing of our heart may be on the top of the list, before the healing of healing of our body.  And maybe the direction we need is to be still and quiet, to rest in Him.

I do know that God’s riches are vast, unsurpassed, and innumerable…and he says they all belong to me…because of Son.  So when I ask, I must believe that he will reward me in due time…in his time…and supply all that I need…as He knows best.

And contentment and peace is mine (the greatest riches of all) if I think on these things.

Through Him

Philippians 4:13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

This is my daughter’s favorite verse, and I’ve watched her mature and grow, leaning into the truth of what this verse says many times. She grabbed a hold of the fact that Christ in her was greater than the disappointments in life.

My daughter played volleyball until she quit growing, and all the other girls were taller, and until money ran out for us to continue club ball.  She tried out for the team again and didn’t make it.  She tried out for a club team and was cut. Devastation was her emotion for a while.

But I watched her stand back up, march into the coach’s office and ask to be the manager of the team because she wanted to support those who did make the team.

I don’t even know if I could have done that, but she was incredibly strong in her faith in the One who made her.  And even though she was petite and small in frame, she was tall and strong in her faith.

Herein lies the secret to contentment.  When it appears that we have failed, we rely on the one who gives us strength to carry on boldly and with our heads held high.  And when it appears that we have succeeded, we give all the glory to the same one who lives within us.

In all we do, we realize it’s all because of Him, and that settles our soul.

I Have Learned...

Philippians 4:  11-12 …for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 

I’m in my fifth decade of life and I’m not sure I’ve learned what is written in these verses.  Being content in “whatever” (there’s that word again) the circumstances is quite a statement to make.

But look at the next sentence.  This writer has been in a state of want before, where he had needs.  He has also been in a state of plenty, where all of his needs were met.  And from that experience, he says he learned the secret to contentment.

You too have no doubt experienced times where you had all that you needed, and times where you you struggled to have enough.  And yet, some of us have never really struggled to the point of being destitute at all.  And others of us know exactly how that feels.The problem comes when we are in the middle of destitution and we look at those who have plenty and think, “If I had what they have, I would be happy.”   

So in any position or circumstance in life there is ample opportunity to be discontented.

The secret of contentment does not lie within the amount of things we possess, but rather in what possesses the things we have.

The secret is in the next verse…

Peace Be with You

Philippians 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you

Wow, I’m not sure I could give those instructions to those I love.  He’s saying here that if the people to whom he’s writing will take what they’ve heard and seen in Paul and practice it – then peace will be theirs.

Do we want the God of peace to go with those we love, namely our children and spouse?  Then it is a sobering thought to realize that what we teach them, and what they see us practice, is what they will learn and do themselves.

If our kids hear us constantly complain, talk about our husbands behind their back, listen to our directions to eat well but see us eat poorly, etc. they will follow suit – and the same discontent we feel will be theirs.

But the opposite is true as well!  If they listen to words of adoration come out of our mouths daily, see us give and serve others, and observe a kind heart and a gentle spirit – the same peace we experience will be theirs.

I love the word in these last two verses, “whatever.”  Whatever we think on will set our course.  And whatever we say and do will set the course of those who are listening and watching us.

Whatever...

Philippians 4:8 … whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

I once did an entire study on this verse, and it was an amazing experience. 

The mind is also an amazing part of our body.  What we think about can determine the course of an entire day, or an entire life.

When we think about what is true (his word and what it says about who he is, who we are, and his control of it all), what is noble and right (actually, only God is noble and right – all else pales in comparison), what is pure and lovely (holy thoughts, things in creation that he’s made that are indeed beautiful to look at), what is worthy of admiration (you got it – HIM), then our thoughts actually transcend what it is that we see with our eyes.

Here’s an example:

We wake up and see that it’s Wednesday, the middle of a work week, the house is a wreck and bad news came on the phone last night.  We don’t feel well, and everyone is expecting us to be a superhero today.

We stop and go through this list of the thought-thinking process above, and suddenly praise starts to well up from deep inside at the awesomeness of who it is that we serve and love, and who it is that loves us.

This supernatural strength arises from within because we suddenly realize we can do all things through Christ – who strengthens us – and in our weakness He is made strong.

Think on these things.

Guarded

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

 

This conjunctive sentence comes right after yesterday’s verse 6.  Go back and read it.

After we have prayed an effective prayer, and rejoiced in everything, and kept ourselves gentle in spirit and mind by giving thanks to God…then comes the answer to all of our prayers.

Peace.

It’s not real peace when we slide up and down the emotional scale of a high note when life is good, and the low minor notes when life is bad.  It’s a beautiful melody of notes that blend together in a sound that transcends all other music – it rises above all understanding.

Why? Because only that kind of peace, the kind that comes on the heels of obeying verses 1-6, will guard our hearts and minds.

From what?

From becoming hardened in our hearts, instead of tender towards the Lord.

A Sandwich of a Request

Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Yesterday we said how it’s normal to be sad, to mourn, and to cry when loss occurs.  But this verse reminds us that in “every situation” there’s a way to react so that we don’t slide down that deep decline into the pit of sorrow and despair where some are left to rot without a ladder on which to climb.

We’re told something in this verse, and the picture is sort of presented like a sandwich.  The top of the sandwich is this – don’t be anxious about anything.  The bottom of the sandwich is this - present your requests to God. So most of us digest this verse like a sandwich with nothing inside – missing the real flavor of the bite!

We try to not be anxious, by simply asking God for help.  But we all know that just trying and just asking doesn’t usually help a whole heck of a lot.

The missing ingredients are these: prayer, petition, and thanksgiving.

That’s how we approach the Lord. 

Prayer is not just petition.  Remember the Lord’s Prayer? Most of it is acknowledging who God is, before we ever ask him for a thing.  Then we ask.  And finally we give thanks.  This is like the meat, cheese, and dressing to make up the sandwich that satisfies our inner being.

Are you anxious? Acknowledge your father in heaven, that his name is holy, that his kingdom is everlasting, that his will is sovereign, and then…ask him for what you need…and finally, close the deal with thanking him for who he is.

The Lord is Near

Philippians 4:5  Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

Gentleness.  One definition says “not steep or sudden.”  This instruction comes right after the encouragement to rejoice always. 

  

Have you known, or have you been, a person who’s up and rejoicing one day when life is good and wearing a t-shirt that says the same, and then the next day this same person is on a steep decline to the pits because what she thought God was saying “yes” to, is now a definite “no?”  That’s a sudden change in a person's faith and their attitude of joy.

Of course, we are all disappointed when life hits us with disappointment, tragedy, and loss.  There are plenty of scriptures about grief and mourning.  But I don’t think that’s what Paul is referring to, here. 

What happens is that many of us base our relationship with God on how quickly he appears when we rub the magic genie of prayer, and a genie is not who He is.  He is not one to be conjured up at our command.

When we know the character of God and his awesome ways that are higher than ours, his loving hand that is always about working things for good, and his power to right all wrongs, there’s a joy that rises above the sorrow.

This does not mean we’re not sad for a time, or that we don’t cry our eyes out and feel as though our heart will burst when bad things happen.  But we won’t be on a steep decline to the pit, because we are grounded in Him – gentle – not prone to ups and downs in our faith.

This is what separates us from those who don’t know Christ.  They don’t know him, and we do.  So it should make a difference in how we react to life.

Rejoice. Be gentle. Let it be a testimony to all. God is right here.

Say It Again

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always.  I will say it again: Rejoice!

One commentary on this verse says this: Joy in God is of great consequence in the Christian life; and Christians need to be again and again called to it. It more than outweighs all causes for sorrow.

I think I know how to rejoice in the Lord, especially when prayers are answered like I prayed they would be, when money is in the bank, and when everyone I love is healthy and prosperous.  That’s easy. 

But this verse encourages us to rejoice always.  And I’m thinking Paul knew people would be like, “What? How can we rejoice ALWAYS?”  And so Paul says it again, for emphasis.

I need to be reminded to rejoice always, I just do.  Because when life is a bit tough, it’s easy to lose sight of the reasons we have to rejoice, those reasons that outweigh the reasons to cry in sorrow.

Our sins are forgiven, and we have eternal life.  That’s huge.  God is in control and He knows just what’s happening – nothing gets by Him.  That’s amazing.  And we are loved beyond imagination by a Father who’s crazy about us.  That’s making me smile, right now.

Rejoice!

Rejoice!

Roof Praying

Acts 10: About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray.

This is the last bible reference to “roof” in the New Testament, and it’s in this place – atop a house – where Peter went to pray.

The roof of a house is a place away from the busyness of the home.  Cooking, cleaning, playing, and all other household duties are necessary and must take place under the roof, when we’re inside the house.

But there must come a time, and it should be often, where we get away from all of that busyness to go “up on the roof” to pray.  For it’s there where good things take place: conversations, protection, rescues, and vision.

Is there any reason Peter prayed at noon? I don’t know, but in the middle of the day is a good time to retreat.  We’re already steeped in work, we still have a half day to go, and the night is yet to be. 

Praying to God from a rooftop is a great place – because it’s when we are through praying that we can proclaim what we heard him say as we called on his name.

Who knew roofs could be so interesting and significant – spiritually speaking? 

I hope you've enjoyed the journey from roof to roof.

An Act of Faith

Luke 5: Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

I’m still so intrigued by this story I’m copying another version of the same event as yesterday's post.

Again, it says this man was paralyzed and in need of someone else carrying him to Jesus.  And these men who carried him were persistent, determined to get the guy in, right in front of Jesus – through the roof.

In this story, I’m adding in Jesus’ response to these guys and their friend’s appearance from the roof.  Jesus called this act of kindness – this rescue – an act of faith.

And in response to these four men’s faith, Jesus told the man who was paralyzed that his sins were forgiven.

Now this is super interesting, as the passage doesn’t say the guy asked for forgiveness.  Is that because he was too paralyzed to do so?  Is this story saying that there are some who are in such a paralyzed state, even mentally, that they can’t comprehend their need for a savior?

It seems then to be our responsibility to tear down the roof, whatever that might represent, and present these friends to Jesus.

Faith – I want to have it for the most paralyzed of all people – for Jesus to rescue them and set them free.

An Opening

Mark 2: 3-5- Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Finally, I’ve reached the verse that’s been on my mind. 

Why, if this guy was in obvious need, did these four guys not get an open path through the crowd?  Was it because the entire crowd was selfish and wanted their own needs met?

And why did these guys dig through the roof to lower the man in front of Jesus?  It says they actually made the opening by digging. 

I know some folks who are in great need, and seem to be “paralyzed” when it comes to realizing their need and being able to do anything about it.  We can pray for them, talk to them, try to persuade them, and even counsel these people, but their sin, their mental state, or their background has shut down their ability to comprehend their need, much less get help.

I’m not sure what it looks like, but I’m thinking some of us need to literally carry these people to Jesus, through the crowd, atop a roof, and lower them down at his feet.

Sort of like a rescue operation.  Or do we wait until they fall off and get trampled on by the crowd?

I’m still thinking about this one…