The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him and what came to my mind and heart in Luke 5:20,
"When Jesus saw their faith, he said, 'Friend, your sins are forgiven.'"
This comes from the familiar account of the paralytic that was lowered through the roof to Jesus. Because of the great crowd, they were unable to gain access to Jesus. The choice to do whatever it took to get the paralytic in front of Jesus speaks to me of the faith of these men. This is what Jesus rewarded the paralytic for by healing him.
Some today can't seem to make it out of bed on Sundays and yet make a claim of faith. Some avail themselves of little of what God wants us to know from the Scriptures and yet make a claim of faith. Some spend very little precious time in prayer and yet make a claim of faith. Some spend little of what they have been blessed with on the kingdom of God and yet make a claim of faith. Some wring their hands in anxiety, some absorb themselves in their fleeting desires, some are distracted by the next thing to catch their eye... making claims of faith. These men demonstrated their faith by what they did.
These men came and did whatever it took to approach the Son of God. They knew what to do as their faith informed them. I am reminded it makes little difference what I claim. What I do is a much more accurate statement of faith than anything I can verbalize. I learn that these men were rewarded not for what they did, but for their faith. It was the faith expressed in their actions they were rewarded for. It is always about faith.
Today religions abound, theologies abound, cults and "isms" abound that claim to have access to God. But Jesus said "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6. And, the way to Jesus is through faith. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-9.
How thankful I am that the way to God is through faith. If it depended upon my performance, you would all miss me in the kingdom!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your thoughts of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We'd love to hear from you!
Trevor Fisk
trevor.fisk@gmail.com
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