Greetings from the Hill everyone.
It's been a while since I've posted, but time seems to do that. My mind still wanders round a lot and thinks of many things. Like just this past week I went into a medical waiting room. It was about a packed house there, but then it always is. You can meet some pretty interesting people there. Some nice folks and then some you wonder about even after you get on the road home and again after you lay down at night. That was the case this time. I've been around a long time so not many things surprise me or shock me. There were two ladies chattering away under their breath about a young lady with her daughter, about ten years old, in a special made wheel chair. The child obviously had a serious congenital disease that had left her pretty much helpless. Mom was attentive as could be, even with another one running around the waiting room. Since I didn't have much choice it fell my lot to sit by the other women.
It wasn't long before I wished I was sitting somewhere else. They were boldly saying to each other what a real pity the child was; she would be much better off in a "home"; the family would not be so oppressed with her care, and, well you get the picture. I was thinking she probably was in a home, her own with her family. They most likely cherished giving her care and love. I was relieved when we parted and the young lady took the daughter in to the doctor.
Later that night as I picked up my bible to read, I was rather distraught thinking about the entire scene that day. I closed my bible and just meditated for a moment asking for some insight and wisdom to get me thro that scene. When I opened my bible again it was open to the second chapter of Mark. I picked it up and began to read:
Mark 2
1And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2£Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
5When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ÂSon, your sins are forgiven you.Â
Then I began to read in earnest. Four men carried their crippled friend miles...how many?? I have no idea, but it doesn't really make any difference to me. They couldn't even get close to Jesus for the crowd inside the house and around the outside. They tried to "push thur the crowd". Most likely a crowd that would not give an inch for anyone, even on a litter. Maybe they were curious or even had many needs of their own. Regardless, no one was giving up their place in the line. They wanted to see and hear Jesus. The paralytictic man's friends not to give up or be outdone did a most preposterous thing! They made their way up onto the roof and proceeded to cut a hole in some one else's roof! Can you even imagine that? You are in a crowd, on top of a house where Jesus the Christ is and you go one step farther and cut a hole in the roof? You tear away the tiles to make a hole large enough for your fiend and his litter to go through. They could have been arrested; shot; thrown in jail; any number of things could have happened. Yet, they loved their paralytic friend enough to take the risk; not be stopped by anything to give him that chance to be made whole! AMAZING! They never questioned their inability or conceivability of him not being healed. What love; what faith; they were invincible and gutsy! Jesus Himself could have chastised them for interruptinging Him as he was teaching. When they lowered him down at the feet of the Master...Jesus saw not a crippled man but a man whose soul was lost and in need of salvation.
His friends took the "Great Commission" very seriously. They acted upon it believed in it and Jesus rewarded they all.
My friend I tell you from the heart of my soul......that is love!! I prayed not for the crippled girl but for the souls of those who ridiculed her. For myself for those things that went through my mind. I thanked God for opening my eyes..
I have some other thoughts about this story and we'll share them next time .So you'll come on back... up here to...
Blessing from the Hill
Ruth
It's been a while since I've posted, but time seems to do that. My mind still wanders round a lot and thinks of many things. Like just this past week I went into a medical waiting room. It was about a packed house there, but then it always is. You can meet some pretty interesting people there. Some nice folks and then some you wonder about even after you get on the road home and again after you lay down at night. That was the case this time. I've been around a long time so not many things surprise me or shock me. There were two ladies chattering away under their breath about a young lady with her daughter, about ten years old, in a special made wheel chair. The child obviously had a serious congenital disease that had left her pretty much helpless. Mom was attentive as could be, even with another one running around the waiting room. Since I didn't have much choice it fell my lot to sit by the other women.
It wasn't long before I wished I was sitting somewhere else. They were boldly saying to each other what a real pity the child was; she would be much better off in a "home"; the family would not be so oppressed with her care, and, well you get the picture. I was thinking she probably was in a home, her own with her family. They most likely cherished giving her care and love. I was relieved when we parted and the young lady took the daughter in to the doctor.
Later that night as I picked up my bible to read, I was rather distraught thinking about the entire scene that day. I closed my bible and just meditated for a moment asking for some insight and wisdom to get me thro that scene. When I opened my bible again it was open to the second chapter of Mark. I picked it up and began to read:
Mark 2
1And again He entered Capernaum after some days, and it was heard that He was in the house. 2£Immediately many gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them, not even near the door. And He preached the word to them. 3Then they came to Him, bringing a paralytic who was carried by four men. 4And when they could not come near Him because of the crowd, they uncovered the roof where He was. So when they had broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying.
5When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ÂSon, your sins are forgiven you.Â
Then I began to read in earnest. Four men carried their crippled friend miles...how many?? I have no idea, but it doesn't really make any difference to me. They couldn't even get close to Jesus for the crowd inside the house and around the outside. They tried to "push thur the crowd". Most likely a crowd that would not give an inch for anyone, even on a litter. Maybe they were curious or even had many needs of their own. Regardless, no one was giving up their place in the line. They wanted to see and hear Jesus. The paralytictic man's friends not to give up or be outdone did a most preposterous thing! They made their way up onto the roof and proceeded to cut a hole in some one else's roof! Can you even imagine that? You are in a crowd, on top of a house where Jesus the Christ is and you go one step farther and cut a hole in the roof? You tear away the tiles to make a hole large enough for your fiend and his litter to go through. They could have been arrested; shot; thrown in jail; any number of things could have happened. Yet, they loved their paralytic friend enough to take the risk; not be stopped by anything to give him that chance to be made whole! AMAZING! They never questioned their inability or conceivability of him not being healed. What love; what faith; they were invincible and gutsy! Jesus Himself could have chastised them for interruptinging Him as he was teaching. When they lowered him down at the feet of the Master...Jesus saw not a crippled man but a man whose soul was lost and in need of salvation.
His friends took the "Great Commission" very seriously. They acted upon it believed in it and Jesus rewarded they all.
My friend I tell you from the heart of my soul......that is love!! I prayed not for the crippled girl but for the souls of those who ridiculed her. For myself for those things that went through my mind. I thanked God for opening my eyes..
I have some other thoughts about this story and we'll share them next time .So you'll come on back... up here to...
Blessing from the Hill
Ruth
posted by Ruth at 6:33 PM
2 Comments:
Well done Ruth. I enjoyed the analogy and the reminder of such a great love.
Looking forward to the next session...and by the way....
Blessings to you as well..
ILA
I'm preaching through Mark, Ruth, and enjoyed that passage.
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