Belonging - Day 10
Mark 2 5 Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “My child, your sins are forgiven.”6 But some of the teachers of religious law who were sitting there thought to themselves,
Jesus honored their faith and hope. He seemed impressed by the lengths they were willing to go to ensure their friend's healing. But a weird thing happened; rather than healing the man, Jesus said his “sins are forgiven.” This was a little out of the ordinary when it came to what Jesus normally said and did. It would have also made some people pretty upset, which it did.
Jesus did two things: He forgave the sin and used language that showed how inclusive he was with the young man. He called him “my child,” and with that, he included this young man in the family of God.
When it comes to belonging, family is perhaps the greatest kind. Some of us grew up in homes where a sense of belonging was always present. This is a blessing, and we should strive to make it happen in all of our homes as well.
However, some of us grew up without that sense of belonging, creating some pretty difficult feelings for us. I am terribly sorry for that. If we can help, that should never be the case. If this was your situation, know that you belong in the family of God and have been invited, accepted, and celebrated.
I know that will not make up for what you didn’t have as you were forming and developing, but let it heal you and grow you toward a stronger bond with Christ and a deep connection to those around you in your new family in Jesus. Things can and will get better when you have this in your life. And while this family will never replace what you were deprived of, it can bridge so many gaps.
Jesus also realized that these men were believers. They believed that Jesus could and would heal their friend, so they put it all on the line. What they did was probably unreasonable, but what a friend they were to this man who needed healing.
Jesus honored their faith and hope. He seemed impressed by the lengths they were willing to go to ensure their friend's healing. But a weird thing happened; rather than healing the man, Jesus said his “sins are forgiven.” This was a little out of the ordinary when it came to what Jesus normally said and did. It would have also made some people pretty upset, which it did.
Jesus did two things: He forgave the sin and used language that showed how inclusive he was with the young man. He called him “my child,” and with that, he included this young man in the family of God.
When it comes to belonging, family is perhaps the greatest kind. Some of us grew up in homes where a sense of belonging was always present. This is a blessing, and we should strive to make it happen in all of our homes as well.
However, some of us grew up without that sense of belonging, creating some pretty difficult feelings for us. I am terribly sorry for that. If we can help, that should never be the case. If this was your situation, know that you belong in the family of God and have been invited, accepted, and celebrated.
I know that will not make up for what you didn’t have as you were forming and developing, but let it heal you and grow you toward a stronger bond with Christ and a deep connection to those around you in your new family in Jesus. Things can and will get better when you have this in your life. And while this family will never replace what you were deprived of, it can bridge so many gaps.
Jesus also realized that these men were believers. They believed that Jesus could and would heal their friend, so they put it all on the line. What they did was probably unreasonable, but what a friend they were to this man who needed healing.
- How deep is your faith that Christ can heal you?
- Do you know how much you belong in the body of Christ?
- What can you do to help others feel like they belong?
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