A lot of the lessons that I am learning throughout the race are not directly tied into the ministry aspect of the race. There is ministry going on in two different ways. Ministry that God is doing through me where he is utilizing me to help those that need it, but there is also ministry going on in me. The ministry that is going on in me is usually sparked by something that happens at the ministry that he doing through me (confused yet?). The ministry that is going on in me has been powerful stuff. God is teaching me a lot about who I used to think I was and who I actually am. He is rejoicing that I am now opening my eyes to who He has made me to be and that I am actively choosing to walk in that identity. It’s terrifyingly beautiful. Over this last month I have really been shown lies that I have been living under and believing about myself and the Godly truths to replace those lies. Truths of who He says I am and am not and how He sees me and expects me to see myself as well. The point of this blog is not to go into those things but to talk about the importance of creating the environment to hear those things. Check out this passage and then I’ll get to where I’m going with this thing.
Luke 5:17-26
“One day when Jesus was teaching, some Pharisees and experts in Moses’ Teachings were present. They had come from every village in Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem. Jesus had the power of the Lord to heal. Some men brought a paralyzed man on a stretcher. They tried to take him into the house and put him in front of Jesus. But they could not find a way to get him into the house because of the crowd. So they went up on the roof. They made an opening in the tiles and let the man down on his stretcher among the people. (They lowered him in front of Jesus.) When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Sir, your sins are forgiven.” The scribes and the Pharisees thought, “Who is this man? He’s dishonoring God! Who besides God can forgive sins?” Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he said to them, “What are you thinking? Is it easier to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven’, or to say ‘Get up and walk’? I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” Then he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, pick up your stretcher, and go home.” The man immediately stood up in front of them and picked up the stretcher he had been lying on. Praising God, he went home. Everyone was amazed and praised God. They were filled with awe and said, “We’ve seen things today we can hardly believe!”
There are a few things that were present in this parable that are important (I’ll keep them super short and sweet):
- Authority – Jesus has been given the power of the Lord through God. Jesus has also given us the authority to call upon His name and to use that authority.
- Faith – belief that this authority exists and has power.
- Presence (this one is my favorite) – these men who are showing faith are so persistent to get into the presence of Jesus. They know the power in getting close to Jesus. They recognize that they will do what it takes to get into the Fathers presence.
- Praise – the immediate reaction of the man once he is healed is to praise the Father. He doesn’t question but acknowledges his faith and offers thanksgiving with praises. We regularly get into the presence without then thanking and praising the father for the requests he answers.
There was a stirring in my heart as I was reading this passage. Am I “lifting tiles” and “lowering” in order to get my time in with the Father. Am I moving things up and down in my schedule? Am I making that time priority to get in His presence? How simple was it for this man… He has faith and fights to get into the presence of the father and he is healed. If we too have faith, and fight to get into his presence, he will meet us there. He wants to walk us through what we are going through. He wants to heal us physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally. But he wants us to fight for our time with Him. When we pursue him, he pursues us. If we aren’t making time to get in his presence, how can we then have the faith to act and work in the authority that he has for us?
