“And behold, some people brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a bed. And when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, ‘Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.’ And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, ‘This man is blaspheming.’ But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins’—He then said to the paralytic – ‘Rise, pick up your bed and go home.’ And he rose and went home.” Matt. 9:2-7
Devotional Thought For The Day
This must have been quite an endearing scene. Paralysis is a very difficult and dangerous thing, and here there were people who deeply loved an afflicted friend – taking the time and the trouble of transporting him to Jesus with hope that he might somehow be healed, that Jesus was the one who could help him. Jesus “saw their faith.” He not only saw the evidences of their faith – I suppose their actions could be attributed to something other than faith, perhaps mere hopeful optimism – but their actual faith. This must also have been endearing to Jesus, for faith is the most important thing in our relationship with God. We cannot “see” faith in others but have to consider the confession that others make and the fruits we can see, but Jesus can see into hearts and see our faith. And it is obvious that such faith is endearing to Him – it accounts God truthful and trustworthy and clings to His Words and promises, allowing Him to be our God, and exposing us to the renewing and empowering warmth of His love. It brings us into fellowship and friendship with God, out of the power of darkness and into the kingdom of Jesus, and into salvation and eternal life, which is God’s deepest and most heartfelt desire for each of us.
Jesus acts when He sees faith. His message is “Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.” This is the chief and eternal need of every human being, far greater and more important than anything temporal or earthly. One can endure many years of suffering, pain, sorrow, and disappointment if he knows the blessings that await us in heaven. However, every earthly blessing is of limited and temporary value if when this life ends we must enter the outer darkness and suffering of hell. This is the message we need to hear as well, more than anything else, regardless of our circumstances, and this is precisely the constant message of Jesus and of God’s Word to us! He bids us to “take heart,” and to “fear not,” to trust in God and to trust in Him. He sends His servants out with this charge: “‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.’ And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.'” [John 20:21-23] When they speak His Word to us and forgive our sins it is really Jesus Who speaks, and His message is clear: “Take heart, My son; your sins are forgiven.”
In Jesus’ day there were people who objected to this and considered His statement “blasphemous.” So also there are people today who think it blasphemous, or at the least arrogant, for ministers of God’s Word to proclaim His forgiveness to others. However, this is exactly what Jesus has sent them to do. He commands them to do this and fully authorizes them, with the same authority as the Father gave Jesus – also to retain sin and guilt where there is no repentance. And we can be sure that all of this is quite endearing to Jesus – people coming to Him with faith, seeking what they need most from God, and receiving the very Word of Jesus, assurance of God’s forgiveness and the encouragement to take heart, from the mouths of His servants. If this is what gives God greatest pleasure, people accounting Him to be truthful and trustworthy, and full of grace, truth, mercy, forgiveness and love, how eagerly and attentively must He be present to see these His dear people so blessed by His Word and strengthened in their faith. And how sad it must make Him that people would be so ignorant of His love and His Word that they would consider this faithful ministry of His Word to be evil and arrogant. Lord, have mercy!
And we can be sure that Jesus acts when He sees faith today. We do not have specific promises in regard to physical healing or financial wealth or other earthly difficulties, only general promises that He is working all things together for our good, and that His grace will always be sufficient for us. However, we do have specific promises in regard to His forgiveness, that Jesus’ blood cleanses us from all sin, that if we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [1 John 1:7,9] When He sees faith He certainly does what He promises – He forgives our sins and cleanses us from our unrighteousness. And again, this is of far greater value and consequence than any earthly blessings, and far harder for Him to accomplish – the cost was the bitter sufferings and death of the eternal Son of God, the value is the full and eternal restoration of His children to the incredible blessedness He intended with His perfect creation of human beings. So we are able each day to rise in the joy of His salvation and to continue our walk with God, a walk that leads to the greatest blessings, eternal life and salvation in His glorious heavenly kingdom. May we hear His voice and receive His forgiveness and healing even today.
Prayer For The Day
Dear Lord Jesus, help us to see Your will, and our Father’s will, to bless us with full forgiveness and pardon for all our sins, and to provide us ultimately with complete healing and health. Open our eyes and our hearts to Your great love for us and for all people. Do not allow us to doubt Your love, or to deny it to ourselves or to others. Enable us to grasp and embrace Your Word, and to hold You truthful and trustworthy. May we come to love You even as You truly love us. Amen.