"Then He touched their eyes and said, 'According to your faith will it be done to you."
Matthew 9:29
Jesus most often worked miracles in response to a person's faith (see also 9:2 & 22). If Jesus were to work in our life and answer our prayers 'according to our faith' how much would be accomplished? The men and women who put their faith in Jesus had heard about His mighty works and had likely seen Him work. Their faith grew through listening to the stories and observing Jesus at work. Our faith can also grow through listening to and observing Jesus with spiritual eyes and ears in the Gospels.
Father, let my journey through the Gospels be more than a routine reading. Give me spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear Jesus in a faith building way.
I'm praying for you.
Pastor Mark
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Why did Jesus first tell to the paralytic that his sins were forgiven instead of telling him to get up and walk? Maybe it was to demonstrate that He was given such authority over men. Maybe it was to get the attention of the crowd. Maybe sin had so trapped this man that it paralyzed him. Maybe it was all of these and more. Many years ago I visited a woman in the hospital that was in this condition. That which held her to a bed was her own thoughts of revenge and failure to forgive some people who had betrayed her. This was the first time I had witnessed such constraints of the human body by unhealthy thoughts that it has made a indelible mark on my life. And much like Jesus freeing of the paralytic, this woman was also freed to walk again when she saw the necessity of forgiving those who had hurt her. Matt 6 may well be the foundation for this story and the way Jesus addressed it. It certainly provided strength to the legs of the woman I met in the hospital. My thought have been sparked this morning with the memory of this story so much so that I need to just finish here and let the memory nurture me awhile. My thoughts now — I have seen a miracle much like the miracles witnessed by the people in this chapter. The rest of this chapter is full of instruction and compassion, illustration and faith in action, touching Jesus and seeking Jesus.
ReplyDeleteWow! This chapter could be rightfully characterized as a chapter of great faith, the same accounts are writen in the other synoptic gospels. Jesus Christ looked into the hearts of all these, He saw believing faith, they looked intently to Him. He also looked into their souls and saw fear, uncertainty and yes their own conviction of sin in their hopeless conditions. I can relate to that condition I was once hopeless too and healed by His redeeming blood. These saw first hand the Christ the Annointed One, who came as a humble servant with all power; by incredible faith these were healed, restored and saved by He who came to save sinners. I thank the Lord that by faith, His name is still the only name under heaven by which men/women can be spiritually healed and secured eternally forever, by simple and complete faith in the Lord Jesus...
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