Mark 2

What lengths would you go to to bring a friend to Christ? Would you haul a grown man up onto a roof, tear it apart tile by tile until you have a hole big enough to fit him through and lower him slowly down on ropes? I mean, I really never thought about how physically difficult that would be. And of course bizarre social behavior. That's not really something that would be within the range of normal. But they didn't care. They knew the power that Jesus represented and they did whatever it took to get their friend there.

I have always loved this story of friendship. But also the sassiness of Jesus who seeing the whole thing unfold with the mat and the shriveled legs and all and told the man his sins were forgiven. Isn't it an amazing reminder of hos God sees us. We are looking at the parts of our bodies that need fixing and He is still, as we were first told by Samuel, looking at our heart.

What a wonderful merciful Savior. Through this incredible roller coaster of a year He has always known what I needed most and it was so rarely what I was seeking. I thank Him for the great lengths He went to to bring me to Christ and I want so much to do the same for those in my life. I know in 2009 He sent me two little girls to bring to Jesus, but in this coming year, it will also involve a mother and only He knows who else. I want to witness Him calling out to the lost and broken like Levi and see them jump up, leave their sinful lifestyle, and follow Him without ever returning to their old ways.

OK, now to close out the year, how about that brain-wrenching illustration in verses 21 and 22? I mean, is He still talking about fasting? Or Pharisees? Or the law and grace? Or weddings? How I'm going to use it today is to encourage myself and everyone who reads this to leave the old stuff in the past and allow God to do something new this year with the new you. Let your past get old and brittle and shrivel up and whatever, but you, you move on with God and stay soft and moldable and ready to do whatever He brings your way. Don't drag anything along with you. Lay it all down at His feet, take His hand, and walk into your future. This is your new decade in Christ.