Daily Devotional - Thursday - March 18

One day, while Jesus was teaching in someone's house, many people were sitting there. Some of them were Pharisees. Other people were teachers of God's Law. They had come from many villages in Galilee, and from Judea and Jerusalem. The power of the Lord was there with Jesus to make sick people well. Then some men arrived. They were carrying a man on a mat. The man could not walk or move his legs. They tried to get into the house, because they wanted to bring the man to Jesus. But the house was full of people, and they could not get in. So, they carried the man on to the flat roof of the house. Then they made a hole in the roof. After that, they put the mat down through the hole. The man was still lying on it. He came down in the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. Jesus saw them. He knew that they believed in him. So he said to the sick man, ‘My friend, I forgive you for the wrong things that you have done.’
Luke 5:17-20

Until now everything that happened to that man was based on his friend’s belief.  He did not have the faith or ability to get where Jesus was.  This is a picture of the favor and grace that God gives someone because of our prayers for others. 

Remember, your friend’s and your leader’s faith can help get you into God's presence, but cannot take you from paralyzed to walking. You have to receive it. 

Some of us or those we love are so used to their mats they are not ready to leave it or don't even know it's a mat. Our hang-ups and weakness can be like that.   We don't want to give up that thing we use to numb ourselves or our habit that is not the best for us. Think about if this is something you need to look at and give to God. -Meghan