Here we are at the third visit to our familiar passage. Last time we looked at an invisible character in our story, the homeowner. This time we’ll shift our attention to very visible but overlooked characters…

Part Three - The Other Students

When Jesus returned to Capernaum several days later, the news spread quickly that he was back home. Soon the house where he was staying was so packed with visitors that there was no more room, even outside the door. While he was preaching God’s word to them, four men arrived carrying a paralyzed man on a mat. They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.” - Mark 2:1-5

Our scripture passage may call them “visitors,” but since they were attentively listening to Jesus teach, I think it’s fair to call them “students.” Can you imagine, sitting at the very feet of God himself as he explains the mysteries of the universe? You’re leaning into every word; old ideas are starting to make sense while new ones are flooding your mind. Then there is a rustling overhead as dust and pieces of debris fall all around you. Did Jesus stop mid-sentence as everyone looked up to the ceiling? Your precious moment of communing with the Lord is drowned out by the sound of a lowering mat, an unmoving man and an unlikely miracle. I would be very surprised if, after an interruption like that, Jesus could regain everyone’s attention by saying, “Now, where was I…” and go on teaching. In all likelihood, school was over for that day.

That brings up an interesting question - What do you do when your walk with the Lord is interrupted by someone else’s miracle? This wasn’t the only time a situation like this occurred around Jesus. Remember the story of Jairus in Mark 5? He begged Jesus to come heal his daughter, but just as Jesus was starting toward the house, a woman with a bleeding condition touched Jesus’s garment and was healed. During the chaos of that interruption, Jairus received word that his precious little girl had died. Can you imagine the conflict in Jairus’s mind? On one hand, he should be happy for the healed woman, but at the same time, how come she was healed and his daughter died? It’s not fair. (That story has a wonderful ending, but just put yourself in Jairus’s shoes at the moment of conflict.)

Maybe you know exactly how that feels. Perhaps you’ve prayed long and hard for your current situation. What do you do when someone else’s prayer is answered and all you hear is silence? Can you rejoice with them? Does this strengthen your faith that God CAN answer your prayer, or does it cause doubt to stir in your soul, wondering if God really cares about you at all?

Jesus’s response to the hurting father is interesting. He doesn’t say, “Don’t be angry,” or “Don’t be jealous,” or even “Don’t be sad and forlorn.” Instead Jesus says, “Don’t be afraid, just believe.” What would the father be afraid of? That Jesus forgot about him? That Jesus loved someone else more than him? That Jesus didn’t even care?

With those five simple words, I think Jesus was saying, “Don’t worry, this may not be your time, but it’s far from the end of your story. I haven’t forgotten you, I love you too much for that.”

Maybe that’s what you need to hear from Jesus today. I don’t know what you are going through, but Jesus does. And I do know that your story will include complete healing and restoration if you are one of His children. It may not happen in this life, but this life is just a flicker compared to what awaits those who believe.

“Don’t be afraid, just believe.” - Mark 5:36
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Amen,
Phil and Pam

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