Reflection: The nature of freedom
The story of the healing of the paralysed man is surprising and wonderful in many ways. But perhaps an often forgotten aspect of this story is that Jesus forgave the man’s sins before he healed him physically. There’s an important lesson in this for all of us. Yes, there are struggles and aspects of our suffering from which we want to be free, but the deepest and worst source of our enslavement is our sin. Because of it, we cannot be in right relationship with God in our own strength, no matter how much freedom we have in a worldly sense.
Jesus’ forgiveness of the man before he heals him affirms something that is true of all of us. The greatest freedom we need is to be free of our brokenness and sinfulness before God. And that is made possible through the cross of Jesus Christ. It is the greatest gift of freedom that anyone can receive. And it’s yours today.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, you are a God who forgives. Help me to remember today that that is the best gift of freedom I will ever receive – to be free of the power of sin to separate me from you, and to be in loving relationship with you even though I don’t deserve it. Help me to never take this gift for granted. In Jesus name, Amen.