The Help of Friends

Seeing their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." Luke 5:20

We can't do everything on our own.

God gave us friends for a reason -- there are times when, in our own weakness, our efforts are not enough. It's OK in those times to rely upon the strength of others.

I was reminded of this tonight by a friend who has been as faithful as anyone through the heartache of this past year. Our worship team gathers Thursday nights for a devotional, prayer, and rehearsal, and I'd asked my friend Doug to bring the devotion last night.

Doug chose the story found in Luke 5:17-25 of the paralyzed man who was lowered through the roof of a building by his friends so that he might be healed by Jesus:

One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus.

Seeing their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you."

The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? "Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? "But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,"—He said to the paralytic—"I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home." Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God.

Then Doug shared this insight into that story: "Jesus saw the faith of the paralyzed man's friends and was moved by compassion to heal that man. That man needed their help to be restored. In the same way, there are times when our faith is weak and we need the faith of friends who are praying on our behalf.

"My faith in praying for myself can become weak, but my faith is strong when it comes to praying for Tim." With this, Doug turned to me and motioned to the back doors of the sanctuary. "I see a vision of you walking down the aisle of the church holding Adessa's hand, and I know it will happen. I pray for you knowing the Lord will do that. My faith is strong for you." His eyes were beginning to well up as he continued: "Tim, I know there are times when your distress causes your faith to become weak. You need our strength during those times as we pray for you."

You know what? Doug was right. Anyone who has been through a trial can attest to this: there are times when you cry out to God, "Are you listening?" You begin to doubt the sovereignty of God. Or, like the disciples in the boat with Jesus during the storm, you wonder aloud, "Do You not even care that I'm perishing?" It's in those moments that we most need the love and support of others.

Doug then asked us all to stand and had everyone to lay hands on me as they prayed for Adessa, for restoration, and for God to do a miracle. It's a strange feeling standing there feeling the warmth of hands on my shoulders as friends pray for me -- tears streaming down my face, honored and humbled all at once. It is uncomfortable because of my pride and it is at the same time so comforting because of my brokenness.

Isn't this how it's supposed to be? When our friends, our family, our neighbors, our brothers and sisters in the church -- and yes, even strangers or enemies -- are weak, are we not supposed to reach out to comfort them, to strengthen them? We have the power to minister God's grace and mercy every day. And when it comes time, when we ourselves are in need, we can in turn accept that grace and mercy ministered to us. This interdependence as God intended it is beautiful.

I'm so thankful for Doug -- he's a faithful Proverbs 17:17 friend and an absolute joy in my life. I want to be that kind of friend to others. He's constantly showing me how it's done.