Bold, Faithful Friends

read›
Mark 2:1
They couldn’t bring him to Jesus because of the
crowd, so they dug a hole through the roof above his head. Then
they lowered the man on his mat, right down in front of Jesus (v.4).

Jesus had returned to His base in Capernaum after a
preaching trip. When the locals heard that He was
back, they ran to where He was staying (probably
Peter’s house) and swarmed around it. So many people
crowded into the house that there was no way a paralyzed
man, brought to the door by his concerned friends,
could get in. But his friends would not be hindered! They
hatched a dangerous, unconventional plan.

They picked up their paralyzed friend, hauled him up
the side staircase to Peter’s roof, broke through the mud
seal, ripped up the straw thatching, and made a hole
large enough to lower the man through. They vandalized
Peter’s home! When Jesus saw their radical faith, He
gave them more than what they’d come for: He met the
man’s spiritual needs first and then healed him physically
(Mark 2:5,11-12).

Sometimes we simply can’t go any further in life or
deeper into faith on our own. Seasons come when we
need others to boldly carry us to Jesus.
“I remember when I wrote my book on prayer,” author
Richard Foster once told me during a radio interview.
“When I finished it, I didn’t want to pray. In fact, I didn’t
even like prayer!” He was burned out and spiritually
dry. Richard’s weekly prayer group soon came around
and he shared his predicament with them. He revealed
his prayerlessness to his four friends and waited for their
response. “We don’t think you should pray right now,” they told him, “so we will
become your prayer for you.” It wasn’t long before Richard was praying again
for himself.

Just like the paralytic man and like Richard Foster, we all need bold, faithful
friends. I thank God for those who carry me to Jesus and pray the prayer I can’t
pray myself. —Sheridan Voysey

more›
See Matthew 8:5,
Mark 5:21, and
Acts 9:36 for more
examples of people
whose faith affected the
lives of others.

next›
Which faithful friends
carry you to Jesus when
you’re weak? Who could
you be such a friend to
today?

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