"Rise and walk" - taking this literally
Lent 10
Sharing my recent post on
The night finally arrived, and all hands were on me.
When I was in high school I met with a group for Bible study and prayer– a vibrant gathering of young believers.
We prayed for each other every week, always ready to test the extent of God's ability to answer prayer and heal. I knew that sooner or later, I would be the object of their ultimate challenge – the real test of God's ability to heal.
We knew it was possible. We had studied Jesus' healing stories throughout the gospels!
The night finally arrived, and all hands were on me.
I sat in my wheelchair in a living room filled with teenagers. They all stood and knelt around me stretching to touch my arm, leg, head, and even my wheelchair!
Looking back on the scene in that living room, I am reminded of the story of Jesus healing the paralytic. A story so important that it appears in all four gospels.
Luke 5:17–26
On one of those days, as he was teaching, Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with him to heal. And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, vyour sins are forgiven you.” And the scribes and the Pharisees began to question, saying, “Who is this who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” When Jesus perceived their thoughts, he answered them, “Why do you question in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Rise and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the man who was paralyzed—“I say to you, rise, pick up your bed and go home.” And immediately he rose up before them and picked up what he had been lying on and went home, glorifying God. And amazement seized them all, and they glorified God and were filled with awe, saying, “We have seen extraordinary things today.”
These compassionate friends brought this man with a disability to Jesus. The home was packed with people and there was no access! These friends were so determined that they ripped off the roof of that house, lowered him down, and placed him right in front of Jesus. Their faith was strong, and their commitment was more than impressive. Impressive enough that we read Jesus noticed "their faith".
A room full of friends committed to praying for me… to be well - to be healed.
As the prayers began, I could feel a knot growing in my stomach. It’s possible that I could get up and walk away from my wheelchair, and then again, it’s possible that this would not happen. I knew their deepest hope was for me to rise out of my chair and walk. I could feel the heat and emotion as the prayers grew in their intensity. The stakes were high.
This must have looked impressive, much like the friends of the paralytic, who were so determined that they tore off the roof! My friends were also determined.
I did not get up and walk that night. We don't always know what healing is going to look like. I do know my friends were disappointed.
They had already decided the outcome of this prayer before we even started and egos can be fragile at any age. There was probably a sense of failure. Was their faith not strong enough? Were their prayers not acceptable?
I don't remember feeling like I had failed but I can remember feeling the sadness.
Considering forgiveness would have been so helpful while we tried to understand what happened as we prayed.
In the stories of the paralytic, Jesus forgave the man of his sins when he was healed. Forgiveness was primary in the story as if it was the doorway to an accepting and compassionate relationship with God.
We were a close group, having known each other for a while. It would have been good for us to talk about our disappointment and forgive ourselves for negative thoughts and feelings of failure. It could have helped us remember that our accepting God was in the room with us.
Neither healing nor forgiveness is easy. Yet together, they make a whole experience of our life with God. Neither is something we do just once. Throughout our lives, we seek forgiveness and pray for healing in all aspects of our lives.
In Lent, we are practicing Confession. This week, we’re talking about preparing for confession: what makes something a sin? Why are we confessing? Can we let some things go?
Find out…
Confession Practice 3
Mar 24
Our souls need joy like our bodies need exercise. Become a subscriber to Your Life with God to stretch and strengthen your soul.
