Tuesday, May 7, 2019: Luke 5:20

“And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.’” Luke 5:20

Luke 5:20 is the conclusion of a story about four guys who saw their friend’s need and did whatever it took to get him to Jesus. The man was paralyzed, and his friends couldn’t get through the crowd with him to see Jesus, so they lowered him through the roof, down into the room. Jesus was in the middle of teaching, but He’d already shown His ability to heal many throughout the town.

The man’s physical need had overwhelmed his friends to the point that they were willing to do whatever was necessary to get him to Jesus. And think about it. If he were your friend, you’d do the same thing. We all would. Just look at any Bible study class prayer list, and you’ll see the proof. The vast majority of the things we think to take to Jesus in prayer are physical in nature, because those are the needs most obvious, the ones we deem most pressing.

Jesus, moved by the faith of the friends, saw not only the man’s physical need, but also his deeper, not-so-obvious spiritual need. He didn’t come to make a few temporary, earthly conditions better. He can do that, but He wants to do so much more than we typically think to ask. He came to change our eternal condition. When all we take to God are physical needs, we lack understanding about who He really is. Intercession means moving people to Jesus, recognizing that they have spiritual needs that are more pressing than the needs we first see, and that He has the authority to meet them.

  • Why do you think we tend to pray more about physical needs than about spiritual ones?
  • Pray: Start by bringing the physical needs of people you know to God in prayer. Next, ask Him to help you see beyond the physical to the deeper, not-so-obvious spiritual needs. As He brings those things to mind, ask Him to intervene. Thank God that He knows every need and is able to meet them.