Can I pray and believe someone into life eternal?

 

An Emoji Devotions for Mon, 12 April, 2021

Topic: Can I pray and believe someone into life eternal? 

By Hans Ulrich Wenger

Highlights: When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:5; 10–12)

In the Gospel of Mark we read a very astonishing story. Jesus was in Capernaum healed people and preached the Gospel. Same brave men wanted to bring a paralyzed friend, carried by four,  to Jesus, but Jesus was in the house and around the house was a big crowd gathered. It was impossible for them to enter the house. So the four men climbed on to the roof of the house, heaved the man up, opened the roof and lowered him down into the house in front of Jesus’ feet. 

As the man never says a word in the whole story, it may well be that even his speech was paralyzed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now wait a minute. Has not everyone to repent for himself? What is Jesus saying here? But this was not the only question in the room. Now, some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’?Everybody in the crowd knew that Jesus question could not be really answered, as both words are not in man’s competence. With his action Jesus made, however clear that it is never wrong to care for a beloved person.  The group of man, cared for the paralyzed fellow, they believed for him and they acted decisively for him. Jesus sees that and he acknowledges it immediately. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 

This is encouraging! How many people have prayed for loved ones, have believed for them and acted for them, but never saw a result. Often times I encounter people, who are disappointed with prayers because of this. The person they prayed for, they believed for, they cared for so much and they brought  before Jesus every day, suddenly passed away and it seemed as everything would have been in vain. Do not think like that. The story of the paralyzed man does show us that there is a chance. Therefore carry on with your prayers and believe on. I am thinking of that single mother whose son did not find his inner peace in life. He kept being thrown back and forth. Since he was born, the mother prayed for him, believed for him and she brought him before the throne of grace every single day. As the boy was thirty one years old he committed suicide, because of an unfulfilled love. The mother was devastated, but the extraordinary story from Mark 2, has restored her hope and her faith. Finally Jesus makes clear that he has the power to forgive sins, by healing the paralyzed man and to show to the crowd that for God nothing is impossible. Jesus said then to the crowd: But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”We may not understand it, but we know that his ways are higher than ours and his thoughts are way greater and bigger than our thoughts. (Isaiah 55: 8 – 9) 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, let me be a person who cares for my beloved ones, who prays for them, who believes for them and who acts for them, if necessary. Thank you that you honor my faith.