The Celebration

Mark 2:¹² “And the man jumped up, grabbed his mat, and walked out through the stunned onlookers. They were all amazed and praised God, exclaiming, “We’ve never seen anything like this before!” [emphasis added].

Jesus was still there teaching, so why was the man who had just been healed going home or where was he going? His friends were on the roof throughout, they did not climb down the ropes they used to lower their friend. They actually ran down, and they were outside, and they were watching. The man went to meet his friends. You must not forget the people that carried you! When you do that, you are asking for trouble. What is the joy of the man? Going to meet his friends and I imagine the conversation was something like this, ‘Brothers, see my leg – sharp! We will play football this evening!’ That was the joy of the man, but I want you to imagine the joy of his friends for a moment. How do you think they felt seeing the friend they carried and lowered before Jesus, walking out to meet them with a bounce in his steps?

Can the cost of fixing the roof even come close to the joy of seeing God change a life? Totally incomparable! It is your move. Are you going to show compassion for your spouse? Are you going to use your faith for your neighbour? Are you going to take action on the people God has been prompting you to invite to fellowship? Are you going to demonstrate persistence in connecting the people who are close to you but far from God with God? Are you going to step into the zone of creativity in connecting people with their experiences in God? Are you going to sacrifice, pay the price God needs you to pay to get heaven involved in that life? Are you going to sacrifice like these men sacrificed? It is your move.

Do not put it off till later, you need to put down your devotional even now and make that phone call immediately. There is nothing wrong with reaching out. However, for someone reading this devotional today, it is your move to surrender to Jesus today. For those who have drifted in their relationship with Jesus, it is your move to come back to God. I want you to lift up your heart, your hands, and your voice to Jesus even now because it is your move. Just say to Jesus, Lord Jesus, I surrender all to You. I come to You, and I declare that You alone are the Lord of my life. I surrender to You, Lord Jesus. For those who have made this move and taken this step of faith, that you will indeed be blessed because God has chosen today to bring you to Himself. You will dwell in His courts and be filled with all the goodness of His house, God’s presence, in Jesus Name.

I pray for everyone reading this today that as you make your move in compassion, in faith, as you action, as you demonstrate persistence, as you exhibit creativity, as you cooperate and link hands with God’s people, and as you sacrifice, you will experience miracles on every side in Jesus Mighty Name. I pray that the handicaps we bring to Jesus in this season, He will deal with the root cause and give those situations legs to walk and wings to fly in the Mighty Name of Jesus.

Prayer [song]: Lord, we proclaim You now, and Your mighty power, and Your awesome majesty. Lord, come upon us now, and release Your power, and let Your presence fall… Amen!