Journal Reflection on Luke 5:17–26

Today I read Luke 5:17–26 and spent time pondering the passage while also reflecting on my own experiences.

Earlier, I had planned to go out and get some things done, but there was no water because of problems with the pipelines. Without water—to shower or even use the bathroom—I couldn’t go anywhere. I thought about asking someone for help, yet I felt a deep sense of loneliness. Sometimes you are surrounded by people you associate with, and still, you feel alone.

As I reflected on this, the story in Luke touched my heart deeply—the paralyzed man and his friends.

I don’t know whose faith it was that Jesus saw—the paralyzed man’s or his friends’. Maybe it was both. But what stood out to me most was that the paralyzed man could do nothing for himself. His friends could. They carried him to Jesus.

When they couldn’t reach Jesus because of the crowd, they didn’t give up. They climbed onto the roof, removed the tiles, and lowered the man down on his bed. Their determination and love amazed me. They were willing to do whatever it took to bring their friend to Jesus.

This passage pricks my heart in many ways.

I long for a simple life like this:

• Faith in Jesus

• Loving compassion for friends and neighbors

• A heart open enough to invite someone in need

• A willingness to share what I have, even with someone who cannot repay me

I know I cannot live this way on my own. Only through Jesus can I become this kind of person.

Lord, please help me.