Today’s scripture: Luke 5:17-26 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Julie Walsh):
With the news of Jesus’ teaching and miracles spreading from village to village across the countryside, I imagine that the friends of the man who was paralyzed were determined to get to Jesus. It was probably no small task to reach him, though.
They needed to figure out how to move from point A to point B on this road trip with a man who couldn’t walk. Once they figured that out, they likely traveled for miles over the course of several days. And when they finally reached the place where Jesus was teaching? It was packed wall-to-wall with no room to see Jesus, much less reach him.
Without skipping a beat, this tight-knit group decided to haul the paralytic up to the top of the roof to better witness the event. But seeing Jesus or waiting until the crowds cleared was not enough. With determination, these friends found a way to rig up the mat so that they could lower their friend down into the room. No wall was going to stand in their way.
How many times do we allow the barriers of life to stop us in our tracks, or keep us from getting started in the first place? Sometimes we have traveled a long way toward achieving our dreams, overcoming obstacles along our way, only to lose steam at the end because the journey toward success has become too hard. Cynicism and skepticism kick in.
I, too, can recognize that it has been easy to listen to the barrier-speak that goes on within my head: I don’t know enough to achieve this goal. I don’t know who will be able to help me. I can’t reach this dream. I become paralyzed with doubt and allow the walls to squeeze me out.
These men could have given up, surrendering to the overwhelming obstacles they faced. Instead, they let their determination carry them through. And the reward for their persistence was priceless!
Prayer for the day: God, like the man on the mat, I will continue to seek You against the odds. I pray for a spirit of faith and determination to work through the barriers that keep me from achieving my goals.
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.