"And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." But some of the scribes were sitting there reasoning in their hearts, "Why does this man speak that way? Hi is blaspheming; who can forgive sins but God alone?" Immediately Jesus, aware i His spirit that they were reasoning this way within themselves, said to them, "Why are you reasoning about these things in your hearts? Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven'; or to say, 'Get up, and pick up your pallet and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins"- He said to the paralytic, "I say to you, get up, pick up your pallet and go home." And he got up and immediately picked up the pallet and went out in the sight of everyone, so that they were all amazed and were glorifying God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this." Luke 2:3-12.
I am guilty of reading this story waiting for a miracle. The verses rush past me as I search for that breathless moment when my Jesus restores his body. Just like the crowd, I glorify God when I see the physical world transformed by His intrusion.
But the miracle happens before anyone gasps in amazement. In His perspective, God just waits for the moment of forgiveness. The real miracle is that God Almighty, whom no man has ever been allowed to see, would take the hand of a sinner. The miracle is that the heart of the Ancient of Days would see frail, human faith and be moved to mercy. It is more miraculous that the precious Lamb would bleed for sinners, than that perishable reality bend for the voice of her Maker.
Perhaps this is why Jesus asks which is harder. We wait for physical redemption, and overlook the hand of God transforming our spirit. Really radical miracles are invisible to the immediate crowds. We want to be redeemed from the abrasion of life, but fail to realize it is in the grit, before we are ever called to walk, that He works spiritual wonders.
Are you guilty of hoping for physical marvels and missing the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Let us tear down every obstacle, and wait in stillness, just a moment more, to experience truly divine wonders.
I am guilty of reading this story waiting for a miracle. The verses rush past me as I search for that breathless moment when my Jesus restores his body. Just like the crowd, I glorify God when I see the physical world transformed by His intrusion.
But the miracle happens before anyone gasps in amazement. In His perspective, God just waits for the moment of forgiveness. The real miracle is that God Almighty, whom no man has ever been allowed to see, would take the hand of a sinner. The miracle is that the heart of the Ancient of Days would see frail, human faith and be moved to mercy. It is more miraculous that the precious Lamb would bleed for sinners, than that perishable reality bend for the voice of her Maker.
Perhaps this is why Jesus asks which is harder. We wait for physical redemption, and overlook the hand of God transforming our spirit. Really radical miracles are invisible to the immediate crowds. We want to be redeemed from the abrasion of life, but fail to realize it is in the grit, before we are ever called to walk, that He works spiritual wonders.
Are you guilty of hoping for physical marvels and missing the miraculous work of the Holy Spirit in your life? Let us tear down every obstacle, and wait in stillness, just a moment more, to experience truly divine wonders.
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