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.” (Mark 2:4-5)
A completely packed house and a totally blocked doorway, but a devotion that could not be denied made its way to the Master . . . for true devotion will always find a way to get to its Object.
Because His reputation preceded Him, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people flocked to receive Him. Some were interested in His message, but everyone was interested in His miracles. Earlier in Mark’s gospel account we read that Jesus could no longer openly enter a town because of the frenzied mob of people who were magnetized by His amazing ministry, a ministry unlike the world had ever seen. And in our story today, this paralyzed man and his four friends demonstrate a devotion that could not be denied in spite of the wall of people blocking their way to the Master.
The question we all need to ask ourselves is this: “Does my commitment to my Master demonstrate this kind of sold-out, single-minded, will not be denied devotion, regardless of the cost or circumstance?” I am convinced that this is exactly what the church needs today if we are going to fulfill the two top commandments of loving God faithfully and loving our neighbor completely. We need to demonstrate a disruptive and a disturbing devotion just like the men in our story. Putting ourselves back in the story sitting in the room with Jesus, can you imagine just how disruptive and disturbing their devotion was as they dug through the roof, with dust and debris from the roof dropping on the crowd below?
Let us all prayerfully consider this day how we can amp up a devotion that cannot be denied for both ourselves and our neighbors. Let nothing stand in the way between you and your Master and let nothing stand in the way of you bringing others to sit at His feet. To be sure, we should begin by knocking on the door, or climbing through an open window, but if we cannot make entry let us dig through the roof and stop at nothing to get ourselves and our neighbors in the presence of the One who stopped at nothing to get to us – going all the way to the cross – demonstrating a divine devotion that could not be denied.
This is the Gospel. This is grace for your race. NEVER FORGET THAT . . . AMEN!
Grace for the Race 