Wipe Away Our Sins

February 16

As you read the story of the paraplegic, in Mark 2:1-12, can you think of people you would carry to a roof top, disassemble the roof and lower into a building to see Jesus? That was some bold faith on at least the part of the four men. I guess the paraplegic was UP for it! :)

Read the story below:

After a few days, Jesus returned to Capernaum, and word got around that he was back home. A crowd gathered, jamming the entrance so no one could get in or out. He was teaching the Word. They brought a paraplegic to him, carried by four men. When they weren't able to get in because of the crowd, they removed part of the roof and lowered the paraplegic on his stretcher. Impressed by their bold belief, Jesus said to the paraplegic,

"Son, I forgive your sins."

Some religion scholars sitting there started whispering among themselves, "He can't talk that way! That's blasphemy! God and only God can forgive sins."

Jesus knew right away what they were thinking, and said, "Why are you so skeptical? Which is simpler: to say to the paraplegic, 'I forgive your sins,' or say, 'Get up, take your stretcher, and start walking'? Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both . . ." (he looked now at the paraplegic), "Get up. Pick up your stretcher and go home." And the man did it—got up, grabbed his stretcher, and walked out, with everyone there watching him. They rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then praised God, saying, "We've never seen anything like this!"

Where the Lord took me with this was totally different from the questions laid out by Solo. My thoughts were, how many people are willing to come to Jesus for the healing, the blessings, the help, but if you told them you were taking them to have their sins forgiven, they would become defensive, recoil, and pass on the opportunity? Until we see ourselves as sinners in need of a savior, there really is no reason to visit Jesus.

Yesterday, I received an email from a dear friend, who had been hospitalized. My mind began to wander to places it shouldn't. She wasn't answering my text from the past two days. I emailed some prayer warrior friends and confessed the mess I was in. Then I opened the day's Godtube video, which was on sin.

http://www.godtube.com/watch/?v=F20BFCNU&utm_source=GodTube%20Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=02/15/2012

I called out to the Lord and asked him to forgive me for my fretting and growing anxious. The second I did that a text came from her! I don't believe that was a coincidence.

We need to know we are sinful in order to know we need a Savior, who can wipe away our sins.