December 5, 2022, Monday of the 2nd Week of Advent-A

Isaiah 35:1-10

Psalm 85

Luke 5:17-26

And some men brought on a stretcher a man who was paralyzed…  Luke 5:18

Lord, faith always gets your attention. The faith of the paralyzed man’s friends produced ingenuity and determination. They loved their friend so much that nothing was going to prevent them from bringing him to you. How shocked they must have been when you looked past the man’s broken body into his soul and forgave all his sins. You saw that what was paralyzing his spirit was in greater need of healing than his legs and back. He came to you and received so much more than what he and his friends had hoped. That’s how you are. You know what I really need better than I do. I’m sure all those in this story would have been impressed with just a physical healing. But this man walked home with good legs and the gift of salvation. Lord, as I come to you today in faith please don’t give me just what I ask for but what I need. Fill me to the brim with the grace to see what faith can do in my life today.  Amen.