Left in the Dust...

By God's mercy, I am recovering from a back injury which had me bedridden last month for the better part of two weeks.

I am delighted to be to the point where I can take short, slow walks. On my most recent walk I thought my two year old daughter would be the perfect walking companion. She'll have no trouble keeping up, I thought.

It turned out I was the one having trouble keeping up. :-P

Having been in bed so much I have thought a lot about those bedridden folks who were privileged to have found themselves in the path of Christ the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.

We find one such example in Matthew 9.

" 1 And he entered into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. 2 And, behold, they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee. 3 And, behold, certain of the scribes said within themselves, This man blasphemeth. 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts? 5 For whether is easier, to say, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and walk? 6 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick of the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house. 7 And he arose, and departed to his house. 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marvelled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men."

What a beautiful account of the saving power of the Gospel. Christ pronounces the crippled man's sins forgiven. As a confirming proof of His ability to forgive sins, Christ spoke and made the man physically whole, ordering him to "arise, take up thy bed, and walk".

What an exquisite example of the glory, power, and beauty of salvation. How many times can we read accounts like this, yet each time we come away more deeply impressed with the glory and power of Christ, andd the blessedness of eternal life in Him? When man fell, God said to Adam, "Dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return." Genesis 3:19. But thanks be to God that those whom God has appointed unto eternal life are not left in the dust.

I have read this passage and many in the Bible like it hundreds, if not thousands of times. Yet each and every time there is something new, something glorious to behold.