January 21: Accepting His Love.
HIS KINDNESS.
And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."--Mark 2:5
It was a very difficult time in my life, and it just so happened that I was about to spend Christmas Day by myself. My loving parents lived on the East Coast while I was in California, and we didn't have money to visit each other. But then something incredible happened! An airline advertised a very inexpensive Christmas fare, but the round trip had to be completed within forty-eight hours. My parents called me to tell me the exciting news that both of them were coming to spend Christmas with me. I was not alone after all! They cared for me deeply.
There was a paralyzed man who suffered greatly and desperately needed to know that someone cared. Four friends brought him to Jesus, but the crowd around the house was so big that they were unable to get in (Mark 2:3, 4). What should they do? Go back? Not these men. They made their way to the roof of the house, since dwellings in Palestine had flat roofs accessible from the outside, but when they got there, they had to make a hole in the roof in order to access the interior of the house. They were so eager to help that they willingly stepped outside their comfort zone and even risked losing their honor. But the sick man was about to receive much more than physical healing. They lowered him through the hole: "And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven' " (verse 5). Did you notice the first words that Jesus uttered? They conveyed His kindness and care for this man! Because of his disability, people would call him cursed by God, yet Jesus calls him teknom (Greek) instead, which communicates endearment and is translated as "son" or "child." Apart from addressing his disciples as "children" (Mark 10:24), this is the only time in the Gospel of Mark that Jesus calls a person by this term. This man would also receive forgiveness and healing, but the first kind word he heard was "son." No matter how helpless or hopeless we may feel, Jesus kindly addresses us the same way: "Child, your sins are forgiven!"
My Response:_______________________________________________________
HIS KINDNESS.
And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven."--Mark 2:5
It was a very difficult time in my life, and it just so happened that I was about to spend Christmas Day by myself. My loving parents lived on the East Coast while I was in California, and we didn't have money to visit each other. But then something incredible happened! An airline advertised a very inexpensive Christmas fare, but the round trip had to be completed within forty-eight hours. My parents called me to tell me the exciting news that both of them were coming to spend Christmas with me. I was not alone after all! They cared for me deeply.
There was a paralyzed man who suffered greatly and desperately needed to know that someone cared. Four friends brought him to Jesus, but the crowd around the house was so big that they were unable to get in (Mark 2:3, 4). What should they do? Go back? Not these men. They made their way to the roof of the house, since dwellings in Palestine had flat roofs accessible from the outside, but when they got there, they had to make a hole in the roof in order to access the interior of the house. They were so eager to help that they willingly stepped outside their comfort zone and even risked losing their honor. But the sick man was about to receive much more than physical healing. They lowered him through the hole: "And Jesus seeing their faith said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven' " (verse 5). Did you notice the first words that Jesus uttered? They conveyed His kindness and care for this man! Because of his disability, people would call him cursed by God, yet Jesus calls him teknom (Greek) instead, which communicates endearment and is translated as "son" or "child." Apart from addressing his disciples as "children" (Mark 10:24), this is the only time in the Gospel of Mark that Jesus calls a person by this term. This man would also receive forgiveness and healing, but the first kind word he heard was "son." No matter how helpless or hopeless we may feel, Jesus kindly addresses us the same way: "Child, your sins are forgiven!"
My Response:_______________________________________________________
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