Rope Holders                                                       Merilee Ottoson

Luke 5: 17-19, 24-25     A paralyzed man and his friends. Jesus had arrived in a city and a desperately disabled man heard He was there. Could he dare to hope that this man named Jesus  REALLY had the power to heal? How would he get to where Jesus was?

We do not know what happened that day. Perhaps this paralytic laughed at himself. What were the chances that he could be healed? Why even try to get help from Jesus? After all, the doctors he knew and remedies he tried had done nothing to help him.

But Luke records that “some men” carried him on a stretcher. Who were they? Friends? Acquaintances? Or just believers who decided they would be rope holders?

Yes. Rope holders. Those people in your life who see your need and step in, speak into your life, bear your sorrow with you, hold a rope for you when you’re in a desperate place.

Luke tells us that “these men (v. 19) could not find any way to bring him in (to the house) because of the crowd.” What to do?? “They went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles, right in the center, in front of Jesus.”

That’s it. Plain and simple. They went through the roof. I call it faith.

Verse 24 “Jesus said to the paralytic, ‘Rise, take up your stretcher and go home’.” A  healing. A life changed. A miracle.

Jesus responded. To the faith of the man? Perhaps. What about the faith of the rope holders?

“Lord, please count me in. I want to be a rope holder. To be someone who stands in the gap….picks up the pieces….breathes words of faith….holds a rope…for someone….anyone….to meet Jesus…face to face.”  Amen.