“Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Mark 2:3-5 (NIV)

Having a background in the medical field, I know first-hand how a stretcher is used to carry someone where they need to go. However, my understanding of this was expanded recently while on a trip to Ecuador with some of the Proverbs 31 Speaker Team and the Compassion International ministry.

One of our Compassion hosts, Rich, gave a message on this passage from Mark in a small, poor Ecuadorian church that sat on a rural hillside surrounded by three volcanoes. He talked about the faith of the paralytic’s friends and the tenacity they showed in getting their friend to the feet of Jesus. They overcame some seemingly insurmountable odds to get the paralytic in the building – including carrying him there, lifting him onto the roof, digging a hole in the ceiling of someone’s home, and then lowering him down into the crowd!

The paralytic could not get himself where he needed to go. He had to rely on his friends. Those friends were willing to do whatever it took to accomplish the goal of getting the man to Jesus. I was struck by this thought. How many people do I know or come across each day that need to get to the feet of Jesus, but for whatever reason (fear, insecurity, depression) cannot seem to make it?

I know how to sit at the feet of Jesus. Why then would I not use my faith to be a “stretcher carrier for Christ?” I want to be purposeful today in bringing the hurting ones I encounter into a place of peace and healing at the feet of Jesus.

Dear Lord, I ask that you open the eyes of my heart to see the people around me that You want me to be a “stretcher carrier” for. I pray that I would hear Your Holy Spirit prompting me, and then be obedient to reach out to them. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

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Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

To read more and see pictures of the P31 team’s trip to Ecuador, visit our Love in Action blog

P31 Woman magazine

Visit Charlene Kidd’s blog

Application Steps:

Make a list of three people that need to be carried to the feet of Jesus and pray for them now.

Reflections:

In what ways can I “carry someone’s stretcher?”

Who “carried the stretcher” for me?

Power Verses:

Mark 6:54-56, “The people recognized Jesus at once, and they ran throughout the whole area, carrying sick people on mats to wherever they heard he was. Wherever he went—in villages, cities, or the countryside—they brought the sick out to the marketplaces. They begged him to let the sick touch at least the fringe of his robe, and all who touched him were healed.” (NLT)

John 15:13, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” (NLT)