The paralytic man found is Mark’s Gospel shows us a man who was crippled on the outside of his beaten down, weathered body. His paralyzation obvious to all those who could see him with their eyes.

But Jesus did not see this man with human eyes but spiritual ones that laser deep into the recesses of the heart. And Jesus saw that that man’s heart was just as crippled as the muscles hidden beneath his weathered skin. His heart, the greatest muscle of them all, was seized and paralyzed unable to experience the freedom to walk away from the past that weighed him down. But that man’s freedom, the definitive starting point in his journey, came the moment that Jesus saw faith in action and freely poured out forgiveness upon his soul.

Jesus continues to look upon us this very same way. Though He sees all that cripples us on the outside; the sin what weighs us down making us unable to walk in His presence, He chooses to look beneath the surface into our heart- the greatest muscle of them all.

And the freedom we crave- the definitive starting point we seek in our own journey- begins when we believe and allow ourselves to be carried to our healing by Jesus Himself.

Some of the teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this man say things like that? He is speaking as if he were God. Only God can forgive sins.”

Jesus knew immediately what these teachers of the law were thinking. So he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to tell this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to tell him, ‘Stand up. Take your mat and walk’? But I will prove to you that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, stand up, take your mat, and go home.” Immediately the paralyzed man stood up, took his mat, and walked out while everyone was watching him.

The people were amazed and praised God. They said, “We have never seen anything like this!”
Mark 2:6-12,

It is forgiveness that sets us free to walk away from all that weighs us down. And there is nothing we can do to earn it. All that is required is for us to ask for the forgiveness itself and put our faith in action by believing who He said He is, and believing He can do what He said He can do.

It is Jesus- and only Jesus- who lifts us up by His strength, softly whispers reassurances to our soul, and carries us to our healing.

Father, it all begins anew when we can ask for the forgiveness we so desperately need allowing Jesus to carry us to our healing. No matter the embarrassment, humiliation, or how painful it might be, you know the freedom and joy that awaits us when we are able to pick up our mat and walk away. In Jesus name, amen.