MARK 2:5

When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

TO PONDER:

'If I could just fix _____ then everything would change in my life.' How would you fill in the blank? If I just fix my finances, my health, my family, my work situation, my anxiety...then everything would change in my life. What's holding you back? Restricting you? Paralysing you from fully living the life you've been given?

Recently I took in our camper to get some warranty work done after our big trip last year, The company were great to deal with. When I went to pick up the camper, however they told me that they had also fixed a deeper issue that they had discovered on closer inspection; a crack in the frame of one of the swing arms which could have had far more serious implications if not detected and fixed. It made me think about how we often see the issues that need to be fixed, we notice the things that fail, but are sometimes oblivious to the deeper issues that lie behind them, the things that are far more serious.

That's what I love about this incident in Mark 2, four friends have enough courage to overcome the obstacles, dig a hole in the roof and lower a paralytic man, their friend, down before Jesus to heal him. They see his problem as being paralysed. He can't walk. It's something that isolates him from community and prevents him from fully living. They care enough to realise that this man can't fix himself. But Jesus can. So they do whatever it takes to bring him to Jesus. But Jesus sees a deeper issue...that has eternal ramifications. A brokenness in his relationship with God. So Jesus 'fixes' that first for he know that this fix, a restored relationship with the Father, will change everyone else in this man's life. 'Son, your sins are forgiven.'

Maybe the thing you think needs fixing, the thing holding you back, paralysing you is bigger than what you think. Jesus can fix it. Jesus has fixed it. He came to fix the root cause of all problems...a broken relationship with the Father. When that is fixed, it transforms everything, freeing your from all the paralyses, so you have the freedom to live.

PRAYER:

Jesus, you alone have the authority and desire to fix all that paralyses me and stops me living the life you have given me. Daily free me to walk in the freedom of your ways. Give me the courage as a friend, to bring others to you, so you might also restore them. Amen.