Do you ever feel like you are stuck in the parameters of four walls? Maybe the weather is bad, or your kids are ill and you have no other choice but to stay home; or maybe a situation has you feeling like you are confined and trapped with no way out.
I was reading this morning and came across these words, “When they could not find a way…” It made me think of what we do when we cannot find a way. Do we sulk and pout and isolate ourselves? Do we act with determination and fight at all costs to find a way? Do we rely on our own strength or pray and ask God to help us find a way?
I guess a lot of our decisions would probably be determined by what is particularly standing in the way. I mean if I am driving along and there is debris in the road I usually steer around it and sometimes we just need to wait for the proper time to act. Like wait for the train to pass, or the weather to change or healing to come over an illness and the way is made clear again.
What about when it is a person or persons that is standing in the way? What do we do? Do we just stop and give up? Depending on what it is—if God allows a person to halt our progression forward in a particular circumstance it can sometimes be a sign of a detour needed; but other times God desires for us to know and rely on Him; for He is bigger than any person standing in the way. Sometimes God just wants us to be WOWed by Him and His awesome power!
I went back to what I read and realized that what was standing in the way in this situation was a crowd of people. You can read for yourself in Luke 5:17-26. This scripture tells of people finding a way to Jesus. They were determined to get to Him—they did not stop because people stood in their way. What about you? Are you able to get near Jesus and what He has for you or are you easily distracted because of what others have said to you? Are you waiting for the crowd of people to make a way for you? Are you sitting back and watching everyone else get near and thrive next to Jesus? Have you given up on His plans for you?
There have been times in my life when a person and/or a situation with people has distracted me from coming near Him and His plan for me—this life can rob of us many things and discourage us; but there is one thing that Jesus saw in this story that cannot be taken away from us…Hallelujah!! Praise you LORD! In verse 20, it says that “Jesus saw their faith.” Their conviction, their belief, their trust, their assurance, and their confidence propelled them forward and they not only thought of a way, but acted on this way and came near to Jesus and God’s plan for them!
Are you this determined? Do you know that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for you? May we not allow any obstacle in our lives to stand in the way of experiencing what Jesus has for us. May we express our faith and think outside of the box and climb up on top of the problem with our faith living in the walls of our head, in the chambers of our hearts and in the grips of our hands. May God too find us faithful and say, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (verse 20)
I love that Jesus in this story called these men friends. Isn’t that what we all desire…isn’t there something so special in drawing near to a friend and hearing that they see something great in us!! May we see the faithful friend that we have in Jesus and live our lives each day more and more like Him. Let us each tell a friend today the great and wonderful things that we see in them today.
I was reading this morning and came across these words, “When they could not find a way…” It made me think of what we do when we cannot find a way. Do we sulk and pout and isolate ourselves? Do we act with determination and fight at all costs to find a way? Do we rely on our own strength or pray and ask God to help us find a way?
I guess a lot of our decisions would probably be determined by what is particularly standing in the way. I mean if I am driving along and there is debris in the road I usually steer around it and sometimes we just need to wait for the proper time to act. Like wait for the train to pass, or the weather to change or healing to come over an illness and the way is made clear again.
What about when it is a person or persons that is standing in the way? What do we do? Do we just stop and give up? Depending on what it is—if God allows a person to halt our progression forward in a particular circumstance it can sometimes be a sign of a detour needed; but other times God desires for us to know and rely on Him; for He is bigger than any person standing in the way. Sometimes God just wants us to be WOWed by Him and His awesome power!
I went back to what I read and realized that what was standing in the way in this situation was a crowd of people. You can read for yourself in Luke 5:17-26. This scripture tells of people finding a way to Jesus. They were determined to get to Him—they did not stop because people stood in their way. What about you? Are you able to get near Jesus and what He has for you or are you easily distracted because of what others have said to you? Are you waiting for the crowd of people to make a way for you? Are you sitting back and watching everyone else get near and thrive next to Jesus? Have you given up on His plans for you?
There have been times in my life when a person and/or a situation with people has distracted me from coming near Him and His plan for me—this life can rob of us many things and discourage us; but there is one thing that Jesus saw in this story that cannot be taken away from us…Hallelujah!! Praise you LORD! In verse 20, it says that “Jesus saw their faith.” Their conviction, their belief, their trust, their assurance, and their confidence propelled them forward and they not only thought of a way, but acted on this way and came near to Jesus and God’s plan for them!
Are you this determined? Do you know that God loves you and has a wonderful plan for you? May we not allow any obstacle in our lives to stand in the way of experiencing what Jesus has for us. May we express our faith and think outside of the box and climb up on top of the problem with our faith living in the walls of our head, in the chambers of our hearts and in the grips of our hands. May God too find us faithful and say, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” (verse 20)
I love that Jesus in this story called these men friends. Isn’t that what we all desire…isn’t there something so special in drawing near to a friend and hearing that they see something great in us!! May we see the faithful friend that we have in Jesus and live our lives each day more and more like Him. Let us each tell a friend today the great and wonderful things that we see in them today.
2 comments:
Love it, JujuB! :) I can see myself making my way through a crowd people, it is the mental crowd (of thoughts) that seem to keep me from my Savior. This is where I have come to learn and love to be still and pray. Talking my way to the feet of Jesus! :)
Julie, my sweet friend, I see in you God oozing from you onto others. I see a precious friend that I praise God for! And I see complete talent in your writing and story telling. You have made learning and understanding the Bible alive! Thank you for being YOU!!!
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