Silencing Their Doubts and Blowing Them Away

19. January 2008 Luke 0

Text: Luke 5: 17-26 Theme: When Jesus got through with the crippled man, everyone was thinking, “Paralized, my butt!” (NOTE: Stephen, my 12-year-old, and I are doing this devotion together today, and this theme was his idea!) Key verses: “Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house and lay him before Jesus.” (v. 18) “When Jesus saw their faith, he said, ‘Friend, your sins are forgiven.’ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, ‘Who is this fellow who speaks blashemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” (v. 21) “He said to the paralized man, ‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ Immediately, he stood up in front of them…Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They will filled awe…” (v. 24b, 26) What God said to us: Sons, I don’t often hear people speak of butts in their devotion time with me. But (and that’s with one t), I’m good with it today. After all, my Son did cause those people, who saw that man get healed, to react and show their most raw emotions. Jesus has a way of making people let their guards down and say and do some things they wouldn’t normally do and say around other people. In fact, being around Jesus and seeing his amazing power and love can draw people to love and worship him. As for the Pharisees, they needed proof that he could forgive sins, so he healed a paralized man’s physical body. They should have believed without needing proof. But Jesus loved them so much that he was willing to demonstrate his awesome power to them. What we said to God: Lord, sometimes I have doubts and I need to be reminded of God’s power and how he can work it out if we’ll give him the chance and believe in him. And I want to thank You for choosing to speak through daddy and for helping me when I most need it.