Proof through the Roof!

"And being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying" (Mark 2:4)

I am deeply indebted to my son for once again intuitively knowing just what to call this week's devotional thoughts! Surely you are all familiar with the story of the four men who brought a paralyzed friend to Jesus for healing. Unable to get through to Him because of the press of the crowd in and around the house in which Jesus was teaching, they carried their burden up to the roof and tore up the mud bricks in order to make a hole large enough to accommodate the pallet on which the man was lying. They then lowered him gently until he lay at the feet of Jesus. And Jesus not only healed him of his paralysis, but forgave him of his sins as well to the amazement of the crowd and the great dismay of the religious leaders also gathered in that place.

That all clearly understood, what struck my attention was at least three key principles that were at work in this miraculous encounter. Knowing the story, then, note with me first of all that these four men were willing to go to where the needy one was. How often today do we as the church of Jesus Christ sit in our worship centers and hope that those in need will come through our doors, hear the gospel, and be saved? It is clearly the will and way of Jesus for us today to follow their example - to go wherever people are in need to meet them at the point of their greatest need and share with them the unsearchable riches of God's grace.

Note also in this incident that the four men were willing to see their mission through to the end. When confronted by those that were unwilling to allow them to pass, they became "creative" in their thinking and took the man up to the roof. How many of us today would have thought of such an innovative approach to reaching Jesus? What we must realize today, beloved, is that what worked yesterday may not work today. We need to "think outside the box" in ministering the grace of God to those around us.

Note finally that these men were willing to pay the cost of bringing their friend to Jesus. Remember that they had torn a major hole in a man's roof! They could not simply go home and leave it that way. So either they repaired the roof themselves or they paid someone else to do it. How often today are we as the church of Jesus Christ willing to shoulder the cost of ministry? How often is the "missions" part of the budget the first thing cut when it is determined that reductions must be made? Beloved, if we are going to be successful in taking the gospel to our world, we must be willing to "pay for the hole in the roof"!

Are we willing today to go anywhere to meet anyone who is in need of God's grace? And are we willing to be creative in the methods we use for extending the gospel to the lost? Finally, are we willing to pay the cost of ministry, whatever it is, and consider it but a trifle just to see even one person brought into the kingdom of God? How well can you see the "proof through the roof" of people willing to do whatever it takes to bring one person to Jesus Christ?

Ron