Raise the Roof
Scripture Reading — Mark 2:1-12
They made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.
— Mark 2:4
A paralyzed man and his friends met Jesus. The friends believed that Jesus could heal the paralyzed man, so they wanted to bring him to Jesus. But the crowds were so big that there was no way to reach him in the house where he was teaching. Then the four friends had an idea—and they tore through the house roof so that they could lower their friend down to Jesus!
Because the roof was probably made of thatch or some other common material, it may well have been easy to repair afterward. But these friends had a strong faith in Jesus’ healing power. They were so focused on getting their friend to Jesus that they were willing to dig through a roof. They believed that the healing power of Jesus for their friend was more important than anything else.
Jesus saw the depth of their faith, and, even before healing the man physically, he declared, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” In this incident and in many others, Jesus is more concerned with forgiveness and healing than with following the letter of the law or doing only what society thought was appropriate.
We can be glad that Jesus is so devoted to loving and healing people. Nothing will stop Jesus from loving and healing us too. We can have faith—like the faith of these friends—in Jesus’ power to love us and heal us today.
God of healing power, give me faith that focuses on Jesus alone. Assure me of his love for me and for all the world. Heal me in body, mind, and spirit. In the name of Jesus, Amen.
About the author — Rebecca Jordan Heys
Rebecca Jordan Heys serves as a pastor at Calvin Christian Reformed Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She and her husband, Kyle, are the parents of two children.
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