Today I set out on a journey through God’s word to remind me that Jesus is in the business of creating hope in situations where we think there is no hope. So often in our feeble hearts, we look at a situation and think: “It’s too far gone, now. How could it possibly turn around?”
But on a journey alongside Jesus with pit stops at all of the hopeless situations he encountered we will quickly be reminded that creating hope where none exists is exactly what Jesus wants to do in our life. He cast out demons; healed lepers, paralytics and blind people; brought the dead back to life. He can most certainly bring hope to our hopeless situations.
As I thought about situations in my life and the lives of my loved ones, one story in particular stood out to me.
(Mark 2:1-12)
The setting was a home that Jesus was staying in. Word had gotten out that he was there, and once again crowds of people came to hear him teach. There were four men that desperately wanted Jesus to heal their paralyzed friend. They had carried him on a mat to the house in the hopes of allowing Jesus to heal him. They had the faith that he could. As they arrived, they saw the crowds of people overflowing from the home and blocking the door. There was no way in. Now what? What hope could there possibly be for Jesus to heal their friend when they couldn’t even get in the door? But they were not going to give up that easily. They were not just going to throw their hands up in defeat and exclaim, “I guess it’s not meant to be!” They didn’t leave him outside the door and hope that someone else could get him to Jesus. They were determined not to give up until Jesus healed their friend.
So the men carried their friend up to the roof, created a hole in it and lowered him down…”right down in front of Jesus.”
Jesus was moved by their faith and persistence and he healed their friend. But not only did he heal him physically, he also healed him spiritually, exclaiming: “My child, your sins are forgiven.”
Reading this story taught me two important lessons.
First – they worked together. When we ourselves or someone we love is in a seemingly hopeless situation, we must agree in faith with others that Jesus is the hope. We must agree with others that we will bring the situation to Jesus through prayer.
“When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” (Matthew 18:19-20 MSG)
Second – We must not give up! Even if it looks hopeless from a human perspective, nothing is hopeless to Jesus. These men were not going to leave the situation to chance. They were not going to abandon the hope that their faith had given them because there were obstacles in their way. They persisted, and their persistence pleased Jesus.
Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. (Romans 12:12 NLT)
Never stop praying. (1 Thessalonians 5:17 NLT)
There is no such thing as a hopeless situation in Jesus’ eyes. Believe that! Hope and pray and see what Jesus will do.