Christian Counseling Service -- Devotions

Healing from the inside out

Friday, December 10, 2004

Luke 5:17-26

One day as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law, who had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem, were sitting there. And the power of the Lord was present for him to heal the sick. Some men came carrying a paralytic 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."

The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, "Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, "Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." He said to the paralyzed man, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home."

Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, "We have seen remarkable things today."

I put myself in the paralyzed man's shoes and I can't wait for Jesus to come. By now he is famous throughout the land. I will go through anything to get close to him, so he can touch me and heal my body and make me walk again.

I have no idea who these legalists are, sour faces from other parts of the country, ridiculing what is so obviously a wonderful miracle-worker from God.

When my friends find a remarkable way to get me to Jesus, I'm at the center of it all. Wow! Then Jesus says something I am not at all prepared to hear. "Son, your sins are forgiven."

Until he looked into my eyes and saw me all the way in ... I really didn't think much about my sin. I guess I just felt sorry for myself. Something changed inside me when he said those words.

I still wasn't walking. Jesus was busy debating with the wigs, with the robes, with the fast talkers. And I remembered the story of Esau, who gave up his birthright for a bowl of soup.

What if I had to choose? Forgiveness or freedom to walk again. There is nothing I want more than to stand up straight, to walk, to run, to jump and leap and laugh...

For this I would sell my soul? I forgot, honestly, that I had a soul until Jesus showed it to me today. Now he has brought it back to life, and I can't wait to live tomorrow.

Jesus knows me. He knows me all the way in, and he doesn't make me choose. He gives me all my freedom, and I can walk, and I can see clearly now, and I know how much he has always loved me.

Oh Jesus, you are all I want, all I need. You are all in all.

Devotions Archive

Healing from the inside out

Friday, December 10, 2004