Fabulous Friends
Take a look at these friends in the Gospel of Luke:
“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.”
Luke 5:18-19
Let’s stop right there.
Couple of things:
1. Do you have friends that would pick you up and carry you somewhere? Anywhere? Never mind pick you up and take you where you need to be.
2. These friends are carrying this guy to Jesus and there’s a bump in the road. Not just a bump - gridlock. No way through. I’ve been in areas of the world - some Asian countries, for example - where I’ve been pressed on every side by people. Trust me, getting through the barrier with a small group while carrying someone would have been extremely difficult.
But look at them:
“Not that way guys. We’ll try something else!”
Can you picture them?
“Try the roof! Hold him steady… Steady…OK, we got it!”
One guy’s balancing on the roof while removing roof tiles. Dirt’s falling in on people inside as they look up and wonder, ‘what’s going on up there?’
I’ll tell you what’s going on up there: guts! Friends with great faith who stick together and know where to get what they need…for their friend!
Why all the fuss? Why such tenacity?
“We need to get our friend to Jesus. We’ll do whatever it takes, but we know Jesus has what he needs.”
Get yourself at least one of that kind of friend. They’re gifts. They’re worth their weight in gold. I know, I have a small handful of those closest to me who know me.
We don’t just need a shoulder to cry on. We don’t just need someone to pat us on the back and tell us we’re terrific. We need the kind of friend(s) who’ll pick us up and carry us - drag us if they must - to the only one who can meet our deepest, impossible, insatiable needs
In Christ,
Nancy
Your Calling For Today
If you want a friend, be a friend. Don’t be lazy. Don’t be a taker. Get in there and love the friend God has given to you.