Going. Bringing. Hindering.

(Matthew 9:1-8; Mark 2:1-12; Luke 5:17-26).

Imagine the following scene: Look at the Pharisees in the first row, dressed up according to their position. They had traveled from all around the country to listen to Jesus´ words, hoping to find the smallest detail that would help them accuse Jesus.

Keep looking around. You will find most of the locals. They had heard about Jesus, they had heard about the miracles he had done in the past and they wanted to witness one. Among them you will find people who believe in Jesus and those who don’t. You will find wealthy Jews and beggars alike. They are all listening to the words of Jesus, they all want to be near Him, they all want to receive His blessings.

But the story is not about them. Everyone stares at the man that is coming down from the roof. This story is about a paralytic man. Someone who couldn’t move at all, not even for his most basic necessities. Abandoned in a bed without hope, he had realized that unless a miracle was performed in his life, he wouldn’t be able to move again. He needed a miracle to be healed. He needed the miracle to be saved.

Everybody in the house was looking for Jesus; they were all close to Him, but only one got to be touched by Him.

Most of us have completely functional limbs, even some are athletes; our brains can manage large amounts of new information and daily we challenge them in order to call ourselves “successful.” But deep within us, our spiritual mind stopped moving a long time ago. Yes, we are paralytics. We used to think we were ok, maybe we still do, but the truth is that for years our spiritual relationship with God has not matured. Maybe we were raised in Adventist homes or schools, we already know all the Bible stories, and we think all we need is a two-hour sermon once a week to keep us going. But this is not enough. We know we need a real relationship.

Remember, many things (and people) will get in your way. When you look for Jesus whole-heartedly, you will do anything! The paralytic had to go through the roof because of the people that were surrounding Jesus. The crowd was filled with paralytics that believed they could walk. Does this sound familiar?

Our brain is very tricky. Approximately 60-80% of individuals with an amputation experience phantom sensations in their amputated limb, most of the sensations are painful. This is known as a phantom limb. The same thing happens with our spiritual life. We think we still have it; we act like we do, but in reality, we don’t. Now it´s time we recognize our situation and realize that we need to go to Jesus with faith.

Yearn for a deep and honest study of His word every day. We need to experience that passion that led the disciples to preach the gospel filled with the Holy Spirit. We have to bow on our knees every day in prayer. Start with 5 minutes, if that’s too long; try spending 1 minute of prayer for each person in your life. You will see the difference. We have to be on our knees asking for forgiveness, asking for a true revival. We have to come, just as the paralytic, to Jesus’ feet. Then we can look up, see His smiling face, and hear: “I say to you, arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.”

There are only three places you can be in life: Either you are going to Jesus, you are bringing someone to Him, or you are just hindering the way. Please, don’t be the last one.

PS: If Jesus gave someone the chance to walk again…could you do the same thing the paralytic’s friends did?