Wednesday, September 28, 2011

A Great Friend

Have you ever had a great friend? A friend that would do anything for you, no matter the cost? Well, in Luke chapter 5 we meet not one good friend but several.

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, 19 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. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.”

Luke 5:18-20 (ESV)

Can you imagine the scene? Here are a bunch of men who have this friend who is paralyzed. They hear Jesus is in town and he heals people. They decide Jesus needs to meet their buddy and heal him like he heals other people. When they get there the place is packed. There is no way they will be able to get their friend to the front of the line. It was wall to wall people.

The friend's actions show just how determined they were to get their friend in front of the Master Physician. The friends were so tenacious they were not going to let a little obstacle like a huge crowd deter them from getting their buddy help.

Now I don't know how that strikes you but to me it is amazing that these friends go so much farther than the extra mile to get their friend healed. I find the devotion of these friends deeply touching. In fact the love they have for their friend deeply inspires me. I am reminded of the passage in John 15:12-15

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. 17 These things I command you, so that you will love one another.

We have a friend that actually did lay down his life for us, Jesus! What a great example.

Till tomorrow,

In Christ Alone,

Jill




Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the ground each morning Satan says, "Oh crud, she's up".

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