Resurrected Faith
By Tammy Hotsenpiller
For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, ‘Arise and walk’? 6 But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house.” 7 And he arose and departed to his house.
—MATTHEW 9: 5–7
I love the way Jesus poses this question: Which is easier to do, heal the man of his sickness, or forgive his sin?
Because both are equal when you are the Son of God, nothing is more difficult than the other. God does not expend energy on healing us, or in forgiving us—because He is God.
He is not bound by humanity. He is not bound by energy or effort. He is limitless.
I think it’s very telling that Jesus said He saw their faith—faith to be healed, and faith to be saved. This miracle of healing, was also a miracle of faith. It takes the same amount of faith to be healed as it does to be saved. Faith has only one ingredient: belief in Jesus, belief in the Son of God to heal, forgive and cleanse us of sin.
It was the miracle of healing the paralytic that caused the people to believe. But
ultimately, our faith must be based on a conviction and not signs and wonders. Today, people look for evidence of God through healings or spiritual acts. The Bible tells us in Romans 10:17: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
For the people who witnessed the miracle, it was an opportunity to believe. Can you imagine the joy in the heart of the paralytic man? Is your faith increased when you witness a miracle? I’m sure the answer to that would be yes. When we hear miracle stories, or we witness the evidence of a miracle, our faith is indeed increased. But Jesus referred to those that only seek out miracles alone as “an evil and adulterous generation.” We are to seek the Savior, not the signs and wonders He brings.
When Jesus Performs Miracles, He Always Performs Them On Time
He said to them, “Make room, for the girl is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.
—MATTHEW 9:24–26
Everyone was trying to tell Jesus it was too late. The irony is that we all do it. When we are tired or exhausted, or have given up hope, we tell Jesus it’s too late. But it’s never too late. In the right moment, Jesus will say to you, “Make some room I’m getting ready to work.” It’s hard to know how long to wait, how long to keep asking or even expecting. As we have mentioned in this book, miracles do not come on command—they come by faith.
Jesus taught his disciples to speak it out, call it out, and believe for it. Often Jesus waits for the perfect moment to show His glory, His sufficiency, His heart.
Today, I want you to look at your need differently. Sometimes we need to become
desperate, to rule out all other options—the option of doubt, the option of accepting life the way it is, the option of being disappointed with God.
Sometimes, our desperate cry and plea is exactly what God is looking for.
I don’t know where you are today: maybe you are desperate, maybe you know God is your only answer. If that is you, don’t stop expecting a miracle.
Whether you are like the father desperate over the life of his daughter, or like the woman with an issue of blood who stopped Jesus while He was on His way to raise the girl from the dead, only Jesus can meet your need and completely heal you of your heartache.