Never Stop Believing

… which is easier to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or… “Stand up and walk?”  Matthew 9:1-8  For me, the encouragement Jesus gives to the paralytic is very important. We know that our behavior isn’t always perfect. We don’t always say or do the right thing. However any action that we take in our lives requires that we first believe what we do is possible. In biblical Palestine, it was a cultural belief that physical anomalies were tied to sin. Thus, Jesus’ choice of words for encouragement was to first help the man to believe in God’s forgiveness. While they affect one another, “physical paralysis” should not be confused with “spiritual paralysis.” It is difficult to move in the direction God wants us to go, if we do not believe in God’s desire for us to move. Never stop believing! So, whatever we’ve done, know that God forgives; then “stand” on faith, “walk” in God’s love, and find your way “home”,  in Christ.