Chapter XIII: Let Through the Roof

MARK 2.4

THE poor man, who you see in this picture, had been very ill for a long time.

He had four friends who loved him very much, and who had heard that the Lord Jesus could heal those who were sick.

When these friends heard that Jesus was in their city, they were very anxious to get the sick man to Him. But he was so helpless that he could only lie on his bed, waited on by those around him.

But these four friends firmly believed that Jesus could heal the sick man, and they decided to carry him, just as he was on his bed, and ask Jesus to cure him.

But when they reached the house where Jesus was, there was such a crowd that they could not even get near the door.

You can imagine how they tried to persuade the people to make room for them to get in; but everyone was so anxious to see the Lord Jesus, and to hear Him speak, that they could not even get near the door.

What was to be done now? Should they turn back?

What? get so near to Jesus, and not be healed after all!

Then the four friends thought of another plan.

They would get the invalid up the outside staircase that there often is in Eastern houses, and would get on to the roof!

So they carried the poor sick man carefully up the staircase, and when they had uncovered a place in the roof, they let down his bed right through the ceiling to the feet of Jesus.

Ah! what do you think the dear Lord said then?

When He saw their faith—the faith of those men who had brought the sick man to Jesus—He said to the poor trembling invalid, "Son, be of good cheer, thy sins be forgiven thee!"

And then when the people wondered very much at Jesus being able to forgive sins, He showed them His great power, by making the sick man quite well the very next moment.

He asked the people which was the easiest for God to do, to forgive sins, or to make people well in an instant?

Then He said to the man, sick of the palsy, "Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house."

Jesus made him so well that though he had to be carried there on a bed, he received strength to obey, and walked back to his home, carrying his bed in his arms!

This wonderful story of one of the miracles of Jesus helps us to understand three things: first, the great power of Jesus; and next, that we should bring our friends to Jesus, to get blessed; and third, that we should let no difficulties stop us in coming to Him.

He is in heaven now, but He is always close to us, and we can speak to Him at any moment; and no difficulty, however great it seems to us, is beyond His power to overcome.

XIV. "ASK—SEEK—KNOCK!"

[LUKE 11.5]

THESE words are a wonderful encouragement, and a wonderful promise.

As our Lord Jesus looked into the anxious faces of the multitude round Him, He revealed to them some of the deepest needs of our hearts.

His words are very simple, and the youngest child can understand a little about them.

"Ask," He says. Do you not know how the tiny child asks his mother for what he wants? And how the little girl runs to her father, and says, "May I have it?"

So when we remember how full of love God is, we can go to Him at any moment, and tell Him what we need. It may be forgiveness; or it may be help in some trouble; or comfort in some disappointment; or ease in some bad pain. Yes, He says, "Ask!"

And when God says, "Seek" and "Knock," He expects you to be looking for an answer. He does not always answer at once; He waits to see if we are in earnest in what we are asking. He says, "Men ought always to pray and not to faint."

Our Lord Jesus tells us a beautiful little story about knocking and asking, in the 11th of Luke, verse 5.

"And He said unto them, which of you shall have a friend, and shall go to him at midnight, and say unto him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves: for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him.'"

"And he from within shall answer and say, 'Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.'"

"I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth."

"And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened."