Tuesday September 21, 2021

Today is Tuesday, September 21 and this week we are exploring life-changing encounters with Jesus Christ in the gospels.

As I enter a time of prayer, I pause and become still. I calm my thoughts and silence my mind. I breathe deeply and slowly, and center myself upon the presence of God.

Pause and Pray

I am here listening for your voice, Father God. Speak to my heart the message you have for me today. Come Holy Spirit, lead me into a fresh encounter with Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior. Amen.

Today I join others and praise God with the ancient words of Psalm 116.

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. Psalm 116:1-4

Pause and Pray

Reading through the gospels we go from one encounter of Jesus to another. Page after page, town after town, Jesus encounters people. Often it is just one person and Jesus. One on one. In every encounter with Jesus, the person’s life is changed. Those encounters with Jesus didn’t stop in New Testament times. I continue to encounter Jesus in my life every day.

One day Jesus was teaching in the synagogue in Galilee. He already demonstrated miraculous healings of many ailments and infirmities. Some men arrive carrying their paralyzed friend on a mat. They care about him so much that they bring him to Jesus. They believe Jesus has the power to heal paralysis; they act beyond convention so their friend receives the help he needs.

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Luke 4:18-25

Who do I relate to most in the story? Perhaps I have the perspective of the paralyzed man, unable to move, being carried through a crowd, precariously placed on a roof and dropped through the tiles at the feet of Jesus. Maybe I am one of the indignant Pharisees or teachers of the law with a hardened heart. Or maybe I am the paralyzed man’s friend, doing everything I can so that he has a life-changing encounter with Jesus. I cannot imagine what it would be like to be physically paralyzed, but I think I understand what it means to be paralyzed in other ways. Paralyzed with fear, paralyzed by indecision, immobilized by sin, frozen by doubt, paralyzed spiritually and unable to progress on my journey of faith. What will it take for me to get up and move again? An encounter with Jesus.

Ask: What is paralyzing me and preventing me from moving forward? How will an encounter with Jesus change my life?

Pause and Pray

Holy Lord God, thank you for the people in my life who brought me to Jesus. People who carried me to the foot of the cross when I was either too young, too foolish or incapable of bringing myself. Jesus, help me recognize what needs to change in me today so that I can get up, move forward, stand firm and live a life praising you. I read the words of Luke again and listen for what you want to speak into my life today.

Ask: What image, word or phrase stands out to me when I slowly read this passage? What is God trying to say to me through these words of scripture?

Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God. Luke 4:18-25

Pause and Pray

What is God trying to say to me through the words and images found in this passage of scripture? How does it inform my journey of faith? What is preventing me from having a healing encounter with Jesus? What is the barrier between me and the forgiveness of sins that Jesus wants to declare? What is prohibiting me from taking my next steps in my faith journey? Why have I stopped moving forward in a positive direction?

I notice that the paralyzed man rests on a mat that his friends use to transport him. The man has been lying on this mat for years perhaps. This is the place where he spends an inordinate amount of time – his life is lived on this mat. What is my “mat?” I imagine myself at the feet of Jesus. He is speaking to the crowd, speaking to the Pharisees and teachers, and then speaking to me. I hear his voice say these words to me, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.”

Pause and Pray

Lord God, help me get to Jesus. Show me whoever or whatever it takes to get me to Jesus so that I can receive the healing, forgiveness and empowerment that only he can supply. Please let me experience a fresh encounter with Jesus, so that I can take new steps in the direction you have for me. Amen.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

As I leave this time of prayer and go throughout my day, I seek a fresh encounter with Jesus and the strength to take my next steps. Show me those around me who I need to help bring to Jesus. Amen.