Carrying friends to the throne of grace
What do you do when illness or tragedy or troubles or anxiety or difficulties strike someone you know? It could be a friend, or family member, or even a person you hear about! Let me tell you a story about a man with a debilitating illness and how his friends helped him in a time of His great need.
What can we do? How can we help?
I’ve been studying the book of Mark this summer. One of my favorite stories begins in chapter 2! I think it has a lot of say to us.
This story struck me deep in my heart when I first read it years ago, and to this day, it is still on my mind.
The Story
Our story takes place in Capernaum, a town right on the seashore of the Sea of Galilee.
This little fishing town was the home base of Jesus during his three-year public ministry.
Jesus, by the time of this story, had reached rock star status in all of Israel and the surrounding areas for his healing and teaching.
On one particular day, he was at the home of Peter, and a great, huge crowd gathered. Jesus was inside, “speaking the word.”
While Jesus was preaching, four men came to the house, bringing their paralyzed friend on a pallet. They had heard that Jesus was able to heal people.
Upon arriving at the house, they couldn’t get close to the door because of the great crowds that came to hear Jesus. What happened next was astonishing!
Those four men were not deterred by the crowds.
Listen to what they did…
AND BEING UNABLE TO GET TO HIM (JESUS) BECAUSE OF THE CROWD, THEY REMOVED THE ROOF ABOVE HIM; AND WHEN THEY HAD DUG AN OPENING, THEY LET DOWN THE PALLET ON WHICH THE PARALYTIC WAS LYING. MARK 2:4
Can you just see it? Can you see these men scrambling up onto the flat roof of this ancient seaside home?
The roof was probably made of a cross-section of rough timber beams covered with a thick coating of mud plaster. Grass would actually grow on the top of the roof. The rooves were sturdy enough for people to sleep on then and also worship there.
I wonder if Jesus and the multitudes inside could hear all the commotion above as the men dissembled the roof?
As the men ripped off the grass and dug the dried mud with their hands to make an opening large enough for a man and his pallet to be lowered through it, did much of the debris fall on Jesus and the people inside?
What was the reaction of all the people?
I love to think of bible stories and their real-life details!
Because of the tenacious action of the four men, the paralytic had his audience with Jesus and was healed! And because of the healing, the once paralyzed man walked away praising God! What an amazing story!
But here is what touches me so deeply…
The Blessing Of Interceeding
These men carried their friend in need to the only One who could do something about his condition. They brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus.
Every time we pray for someone… a friend, a precious family member, or just someone in need, we are carrying them to the feet of Jesus.
Can relate to the men who dug through that mud roof to get to Jesus. They must have cared for the paralytic, and they would not let a crowded, blocked door stand in their way!
It is a privilege to carry someone, by intercessory prayer, to the Throne of Grace!
The One Who Knows Us
Hebrews 4: 14-16 says…
SINCE THEN WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO HAS PASSED THROUGH THE HEAVENS, JESUS THE SON OF GOD, LET US HOLD FAST TO OUR CONFESSION. FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO CAN SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESS, BUT ONE WHO HAS BEEN TEMPTED IN ALL THINGS AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN.
LET US THEREFORE, COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF OUR GRACIOUS GOD THAT WE MAY FIND MERCY AND GRACE IN OUR TIME OF NEED. Hebrews 4:14-16
EFFECTIVE PRAYER
What the men in our story did for their parlayed friend was very bold!
And James 5:16 says…
THEREFORE, CONFESS YOUR SINS TO ONE ANOTHER, AND PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER SO THAT YOU MAY BE HEALED. THE EFFECTIVE PRAYERS OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN CAN ACCOMPLISH MUCH.
Talking to God about others in need is the biggest and the best thing we can do for them!
Pray and continue to pray.
Visually see yourself on top of that roof, digging away the mud so you can lower your friend, family member, or someone in need carefully down to lovingly place them at the feet of Jesus! And keep doing it!
Don’t give up!!!
What if the friends of the paralyzed man stopped taking him to Jesus because they could not get near the door? The man would have never been healed!
They would let nothing stop them! Not the crowds, not the roof, nothing!
Don’t underestimate the power of prayer! Don’t underestimate that your prayer and the faith you have in the ONE you are praying to can literally move mountains!
Believe
Believe in God! Believe in Jesus, the Healer, the Son of God, and His miracle ability! Look for His nail-pierced hands to move in the situation you are praying about. Expect miracles!!!
It may not be the miracle you want, but He is faithful to answer prayer in His perfect way!
Trust God! Trust Him!
Who Are You Praying For
Who are you bringing to Jesus on a pallet today?
Scripture to remember…
LET US THEREFORE, COME BOLDLY TO THE THRONE OF OUR GRACIOUS GOD THAT WE MAY FIND MERCY AND GRACE IN OUR TIME OF NEED. Hebrews 4:6
You might also like these posts about prayer:
HOW TO PRAY IN DIFFICULT TIMES
Thank you Yvonne,
I truly believe in the power of prayer. Our Heavenly Father love and appreciate us when we think of others outside of ourselves. I always include my friends and family in my daily prayer.
We are commanded to pray for one another! Your friends and family are blessed!
Thank you, Yvonne, for the beautiful story. I have not heard or read that scripture before. I am a prayer. I pray for stalled people on the side of the road, I pray for friends, family, neighbors and those I don’t especially care for. I pray for myself to love those I don’t like. In time I do see prayers answered, not always as I had expected but God’s ways are so much better than mine. Thank you for the Sunday messages. Your faith makes your blog that much more special. May God bless you and your family!
Hi Sue, prayer warriors are such special people. Only when you get to heaven will you realize how many lives you touched!
Thank you for this affirmation. We have four people in need of cancer healing whom we are praying for. One has stage 4 lung cancer, one is healing from uterine surgery, one has a spot on her lung, undiagnosed at this time. I know my Lord can heal! I’ve been praying for peace, comfort and calm for them and their families. Thanks again; your emails are always encouraging. Vivianne
Vivianne, I prayed for them too in agreement with you.
This story touches home for me today. Our dear friend has been diagnosed with ALS. He has gone from avid hiker to unable to walk or stand in just 6 months. His family and our friends are heartbroken. Yesterday, I asked he and his wife’s permission to place them on the prayer chain of my church. They were grateful, and today I as part of our worship service our congregation lifted them in prayer. My friends were touched by this. Their prayers at this time is that the disease slows and does not move to the upper extremities and gives them more time. I believe in the power of prayer, too. I know he will not be healed, but if the prayers provide them any comfort, I am glad for that. Thank you for sharing each Sunday🙏🏻
Hi Joyce, I prayed for your dear friend. Remember… the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous many availth much. James 5:16
Thank you, God bless🙏🏻
Yvonne, I loved your post. It is a privilege to carry everything to God in prayer. He knows all about those dear souls that we lift up to Him. May God continue to bless you in a special way, Yvonne, as you share your wonderful Sunday posts with us. I appreciate you so much — and thank God for you.