34 Days until Easter

34 Days until Easter

Make a hole.  Touch the hem.  Have faith.

“Making a hole.”  That’s how they responded when he asked what they were doing.  This boy, laying on a cot and unable to move, watched as four faithful men worked to tear away and break through the roof of a house.  They believed that Jesus could heal him.  With all their hearts, they believed.  So when the home where Jesus was preaching became too crowded for them to reach Him, they climbed on the roof to make a way to see Jesus.  They believed that this paralyzed boy had hope through the healing power of Jesus.  When they finally busted through the roof, they lowered him down into the room where Jesus sat.  And doing more than they believed, Jesus saw their faith.  He forgave and then healed. 

The crowds didn’t deter them.  The challenge of climbing on top of a roof while carrying a paralytic didn’t intimidate them.  The work of breaking through the roof didn’t bother them.  They just needed to hand him over to Jesus.  

She worked through the crowds.  As Jesus walked through the multitudes, she pushed through, getting closer and closer.  She was bleeding.  She was desperate.  For twelve years no one had been able to stop her bleeding.  She believed that Jesus could heal her.  With all her heart, she believed.  And so when she finally came within an arm's reach, she bent down and brushed the hem of his garment.  Doing more than she believed, Jesus saw her faith.  He lifted her spirits and healed her. 

The lifelong work of physicians who failed to stop her bleeding didn’t deter her.  The multitudes surrounding Him didn’t intimidate her.  Being in public with her condition didn’t bother her.  She just needed to touch Him.

In December I got a text from my sister-in-law, Cinda, “Please pray for Alyssa.  She is one of my precious 5th graders.  She had a seizure in class last Tuesday and has been continually having seizures since then.  At 3:30 this morning she was put into a coma to help her brain rest.  Please pray for complete healing”.  So I began to pray.  A few days later, I got an update.  Things weren’t good.  From the doctor’s standpoint, they could keep her alive with a tracheotomy or continue with current treatment and pray for a miracle or take her off the machines and let her go to be with Jesus.  I began to pray, but to be honest, I let the heaviness of the circumstance take over.  I knew that she could be healed, but I thought it wasn’t likely going to happen.

But Alyssa’s parents made a hole.  They believed that Jesus would heal her.  The challenge of watching their daughter’s body start to shut down didn’t deter them.  The setbacks, the seizures, the decrease in brain activity, the pneumonia, the vasculitis, and the respiratory failure didn’t intimidate them.  The work of flying her to Gainesville and separating the family didn’t bother them.  They just needed to make a hole and place her at the feet of Jesus.  He saw their faith, and He healed her. 

A picture of Alyssa's journey from December to February.

He was the Word in the beginning, the Creator of all things, the radiance of the glory of God and the redemption for humanity.  His name is Jesus and He has power.  When we pray, we pray to the One with all the power to save and heal.  He defeated death and He hears our cries.  He sees our faith.  We just have to make a hole.  Touch His hem.  Know Him.  Believe. 

My Lord,  You created and sustained the universe.  You took on flesh.  You took my sin.  You see my faith. I praise You for Alyssa and I thank You for seeing the faith in her family and friends.  Thank You for reminding us of Your most incredible power.  Give me the courage and strength to trust in You with all that I have.  I can come to you with absolutely anything.  In my weakness, help me to remember You are all-powerful. Help me to have the faith to make a hole, to touch the hem.