“Faith, Full or Faltering?”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Tuesday, September 27, 2022
Luke 5:12-26 (Forward p. 60) CEV p. 1062
Here are two hopeless cases, yet they are ‘approached’ with entirely different resolves and convictions. The leper is sure that Jesus can heal him, if only He would choose to do so, if only He wants to. But whether Jesus would actually want to do this is something that he isn’t exactly sure about. The friends of the paralytic are also sure, but with them, they are leaving nothing to chance. In a sense, they are forcing Jesus to act—whether He wants to or not. At least subconsciously, that is undoubtedly their thinking. But, as we learn for that first encounter, Jesus does indeed want to!
The leprous man’s faith is very tentative, faltering, you might say. With the paralyzed man’s friends, however, it is different. Theirs is a full faith. They are determined to leave nothing to chance. They are determined that nothing, nothing like a physical barrier (like a roof) or a human one either (like an overflow crowd), will stand in the way of their friend getting healed.
And how incredibly and wonderfully strong, determined and resolute this faith is: to carry the ‘dead weight’ of their paralyzed friend probably for blocks, if not further, before actually getting to this house. And then, to manhandle his carrying mat up the narrow, outside stairs to the roof, and finally, to tear out sections of the mud and dauber roof to lower the man downwards, landing him right at Jesus’ feet. Such resolve, such faith, such love, cannot be overstated or minimized.
In light of these examples, I have to wonder about us today. Are we, you and I, like the leper or like the four determined friends? Is our faith feeble, like the first man—knowing that Christ/ God can indeed work miracles, but not sure that He will--or full, like the other four, fully expecting that He will do so?
While we cannot physically carry needs or people into Jesus’ physical presence, His nearer presence, we can certainly do so spiritually, that is, by prayer. But are we anywhere as resolute and determined, anywhere as loving, anywhere as full of faith, as these four friends were? Do we care about those in need around us, or for our churches or our communities, or indeed, for our broken and hurting world, to pray for them in this way—and expect results like they did? Some good questions for all of us. Amen.
Forward notes: “Then Jesus stretched out his hand, touched him, and said, ‘I do choose. Be made clean.’ Immediately the leprosy left him” (verse 13).
“The Centers for Disease Control describes leprosy as ‘an infection caused by slow-growing bacteria called Mycobacterium leprae. It can affect the nerves, skin, eyes, and lining of the nose. With early diagnosis and treatment, the disease can be cured.’ What a long way we have come from biblical times. Now, leprosy can be treated with antibiotics.
“In Jesus’s day, lepers were considered unclean, and no one wanted to touch them. In my lifetime, we experienced the AIDS crisis when many people were afraid to touch a person with AIDS. Jesus not only performs a miracle by touching the man described as covered with leprosy, but he also defies social norms. Jesus takes a big risk. He puts out his hand and touches an unclean person and a social outcast. The power of God’s love working through him overcomes everything else. Touch has healing powers even if we’re not Jesus. We need to remember that the embrace of another, the touch of a hand can be life-giving.”
Moving Forward: “Who in your life needs to experience the healing power of a loving touch today?”