We Have Seen Incredible Things!

7 Dec

“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’
or to say, ‘Rise and walk’?
But that you may know
that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins” —
[Jesus] said to the one who was paralyzed,
“I say to you, rise, pick up your stretcher, and go home.”  (Lk 5:23-24)

We have, indeed, seen incredible things throughout our lives.  There have been many things that have happened in our lives or in the lives of those we have known that could only be attributed to God.  Great deeds, miraculous healings, surprising conversions — these, and more, we are able to recount.

At the center of all was the work of God.  We know it.  There could be no other explanation.  We not only have heard throughout our years that God was good, we have seen it proven over and over again.

Yet, if that is the case, why do we so often doubt?

The Gospel account was about a man who was paralyzed and who was brought to Jesus.  Jesus did not immediately heal him, at least not physically.  No.  He healed him on a much deeper level for Jesus said to the man, “Your sins are forgiven.”

That caused an uproar among the guests in the house.  Who was this person, that He could forgive sins, they said among themselves.

Jesus proved that He had the power to do what He said.  He told the paralyzed man to get up, pick up his mat, and go home.  And the paralyzed man did so.

All the people could do was look at one another in shock and say, “We have seen incredible things today.”  Those incredible sights led some to a deep, abiding faith in the Lord.  Those same sights only hardened the hearts of others.

The response to Jesus and His works is extremely personal.

We have experienced Jesus work in our lives and in the lives of our loved ones.  Has that experience deepened our faith or have we hardened our hearts toward the Lord, maybe because the things we have seen did not happen to us or for us?

We have seen incredible things.  What will be our response to the Lord?

FAITH ACTION:  Recount all that God has done for your and yours and spend a good amount of time in prayer giving Him the thanks and praise that is His due.