– Written by Rev. Tambi Swiney
As a child, I was fascinated by the story of the four men who carried their paralyzed friend on a mat to Jesus because they believed that Jesus could heal him. Since a large crowd had gathered to hear Jesus that day, when the friends arrived at the house in Capernaum where Jesus was preaching, they could not get in the door. Unwilling to give up on their mission of mercy, the friends carefully carried their friends to the roof of the home and made a hole directly above Jesus.
I wonder how much debris fell on Jesus before he stopped preaching. I wonder what the homeowner said when he saw a mat being lowered by ropes through his new sunroof. I wonder what the paralyzed man was thinking when his mat came to rest on the floor in front of Jesus and he looked up into Jesus’ face.
What happens next is somewhat surprising: “When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’” (Mark 2:2-5) When Jesus witnessed the faith of these friends – a faith that led them to go to great lengths to access healing for their friend – Jesus responded with mercy.
Interestingly, spiritual healing preceded physical healing. “Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So Jesus said to the man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ The man got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this!’” (Mark 2:9-12)
Faith is one of the core values of The Next Door. Often our clients’ family and friends keep the faith long after our clients have given up hope that they might experience healing. They are the ones who call our Admissions Team and drive their loved ones to our door seeking help; they are the ones who pray for healing for their incarcerated mothers, sisters, daughters, and friends who are completing their sentences at the Correctional Release Center.
Where do you see yourself in this story? How have you helped a loved one access healing in the past? Who has helped you experience physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual healing? Who needs your help this week to receive the healing they seek?
