SCRIPTURE: Luke 5:17-20
What strikes me about this story (so far) is v.20.
Jesus responds to the faith of the man’s friends.
I don’t think that Jesus forgives the man BECAUSE his friends had faith.
But it was because of their faith that this man got to experience God’s forgiveness.
He was loved and forgiven before they brought Him, but they helped him know it.
Similarly when our God-confidence helps others experience God’s love and forgiveness.
God does not love and forgive them BECAUSE I have faith, BECAUSE I pray for them, BECAUSE I bring them to church, etc.
God love and forgives all people, but how will they discover this?
“How can they call on him unless they believe in him? How can they believe in him unless they hear about him? How can they hear about him unless someone preaches to them? And how can anyone preach without being sent? It is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15, quoting Isaiah 52:7)
We can be like this man’s friends, helping others hear about and experience God’s love and forgiveness.
We can tell them, but even better we can show them: how we treat them, how we love them, how we act like Jesus to them.
And through us, BECAUSE of our God-confidence, God makes it clear to them: “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
May you help the people you are with today experience Jesus today.
May they know BECAUSE of you, that God loves and forgives them too!
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
God, help me to see that I can lead people to You just by how I am with them. By Your Spirit help me to be loving, kind, patient, forgiving, hopeful, generous – like Jesus – so that they experience Your love and forgiveness too.