DTEB, “Making Your Bed or Taking It Up?”

“And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. ² And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. ³ And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. ⁴ And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. ⁵ And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” ⁶ Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, ⁷ “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” ⁸ And immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they thus questioned within themselves, said to them, “Why do you question these things in your hearts? ⁹ Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up your bed and walk’? ¹⁰ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he said to the paralytic— ¹¹ “I say to you, rise, pick up your bed, and go home.” ¹² And he rose and immediately picked up his bed and went out before them all, so that they were all amazed and glorified God, saying, “We never saw anything like this!””  (Mark 2:1-12)

My wife and I read this yesterday morning as part of our morning routine.  However, the reading turned out to be anything but routine.

This reading was from a devotional book that my wife and I are using this year.  The book is entitled Bread for Each Day.  I quote most of the meditation, due to the fact that it touched me so deeply.  I hope that it will help you at least half as much as it did me.

“A man in great misery of soul, not knowing which way to turn, was wandering one evening along a country lane in England.  He continued walking until at length, completely exhausted, he decided to rest for a few moments beside a nearby hedge.  As he sat there, he heard two girls talking on the other side.  They were speaking to one another about a sermon which they heard in a London church.  One of them said of the pastor, ‘I heard him preach just once, but it gave me a big spiritual life.  I shall never forget one thing in particular that he said.’  The other girl asked what it was that the preacher had presented which had so greatly stirred her.  The other replied that in speaking of the paralytic and his marvelous cure, as recorded in Mark 2, the minister had declared, ‘The world will always say, “You made your bed, and you must lie on it”; but One greater than the world has said, “Take up thy bed and walk, thy sins are forgiven.” ’

The troubled and despairing man on the other side of the hedge heard these gracious words, and through it the Holy Spirit lifted the shadow from his soul.

To every burdened on who finds forgiveness through grace, Jesus in effect says the same today: ‘Take up your bed—take up your cross; and then bear your burden graciously as you walk in My strength!’” (Reading from Bread for Each Day, January 4)

So, I started crying when I got to the bit about making your bed and lying in it.  I’ve been told that, in so many words, for years.  I could scarcely get through the rest of the reading.  You see, I am the man on the other side of the hedge.

You too?