Being a Better Friend

Within the last two years, two of my friends have been diagnosed with cancer. One lost her battle with the disease a few weeks ago, and the other is still fighting. Sometimes, as a friend, I feel pretty helpless. It's really hard to know what to do. However, recently, the Lord's given me a new perspective on how I can help my friends the most, when I feel the most helpless.

In Mark 2:1-12, Scripture tells us that Jesus had returned to Caperneum and was "in the house." When people found out, "immediately, they gathered together, so that there was no longer room to receive them not even near the door." It was a packed house with standing room only...literally. The place was filled to capacity.

Or so they thought...

People kept coming to see Jesus, including four men (at least) carrying their paralyzed buddy on a mat. When the men got to the home and found no way in, they didn't take "no" for an answer. They were desperate and determined for their friend to see Jesus; so determined they wouldn't let anything stand in their way...including someone's roof! I'm not kidding. If you haven't read this story before, please read it. It's so heart-wrenching to imagine the desperation on the part of the friends when they realize they couldn't get their friend to Jesus, and it's so exhilarating to picture them not giving in to circumstances - to what seemed to be impossible - but instead devising a plan to reach their goal. They were determined their friend WOULD see the Savior - no matter what.

I wonder if Jesus stopped preaching when the dried mud began to fall. I wonder if the owner of the home stood in amazement as piece by piece, part of his roof was destroyed. Do you think there was an uproar within the group or was it deathly still? Scripture doesn't tell us. However, It does tell us that when the men had "broken through, they let down the bed on which the paralytic was lying."

The next part is one of my favorite parts, and the whole reason why I'm writing this blog at 3:16 in the morning! Scripture says that "when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you.'" There's a lot of meat in that verse, including the fact that Jesus fulfills the ultimate desire of the paralytic, before He fulfills the physical desire, but what I want to focus on is this - whose faith caused Jesus to act? Was it the faith of the paralytic? Look at it again: "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Son, your sins are forgiven you.'"

Did you see it? Scripture states the faith of the man's friends prompted Christ to act. I'm sure the paralytic had faith in Jesus, as well - which is why he went along with his friends lowering him down through the roof! But in this passage, Jesus was compelled by the faith of this man's friends, so much so that He acted on his behalf and healed him both spiritually and physically.

Since the Lord showed me this passage, I've determined to be a better friend - the type who brings my friends to Jesus for spiritual and physical healing. I've determined not to give up hope, even when all the circumstances and test results say different. I've determined to believe that the God of the universe is big enough to act on behalf of my friends for their ultimate good...and mine, too!

Dearest Jesus, thank You for my friends. Thank You that You have placed me in this life to encourage them and in turn, be encouraged. Thank You that You care more for them than I do. Help me, Lord, to purposefully be a better friend - to always bring my friends to You in prayer and cover them with Your protection, provision, and care. Thank You for their healing...both earthly and ultimate. You are our glorious Prize and the Lifter of our heads. Thank You.