Jesus Himself was teaching, and from every village people had come,

From Judea and Galilee; some from Jerusalem.

Some men brought on a stretcher, a man who was paralyzed.

To get him before the Lord, they’d need to improvise.

 

There seemed no way to bring him in.  The crowd’s size was so great.

So, they made their way up to the roof.  They didn’t want to wait.

He was lowered through the roof, and then placed in front of Christ.

The Christ who came to die for us, and for us sacrifice His life.

 

When Jesus saw their faith, He told the man, forgiven were his sins.

The Pharisees had never heard, to such a thing akin.

The Pharisees erupted.  They may have become livid.

“Who is this who blasphemes? Who but God can sins forgive?”

 

Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he put them to a task

“Which is easier” was the question, which to them He asked.

Is it easier to say that sins have been forgiven?  With them, Christ had this little talk.

He inquired if perhaps it might be easier to just say “rise up and walk.”

 

But that The Son of Man can sins forgive, that all now might see and know,

He told the man paralyzed, rise, pick up your mat, and home you can now go.

The man no longer paralyzed, then did exactly that,

He rose and went home, after he’d picked up his mat.

 

With astonishment, all were completely seized.

And they gave glory unto God.  His healing helps us all believe.

Jesus, so many loved ones cannot see You in their midst.

And there are other loved ones who’ve been swayed You don’t exist.

 

In spirit they are paralyzed as they lay on unbelieving mats.

We cannot get them into church.  They think they’ve had enough of that.

They cannot comprehend Your ways, or understand Your love.

They don’t see Your blessed plans for them, from heaven above.

 

So, we bring them to You Jesus, through the roof, we lower them to You.

We ask You to touch their hearts, heal hearts through and through,

Show to them Your love that’s deeper than the depths of the deepest ocean.

Show them it’s You we ought to trust, and love with devotion.

 

If the man once paralyzed had faith, this story does not say;

But the men who brought him to You, had faith on that glorious day.

Our loved ones’ faith, may be lacking.  This we cannot deny.

Won’t You look upon our faith, as to ourselves we seek to die.

 

Use the grace of that faith, use all our sacrifices,

To forgive our loved ones’ sins, to wipe out all their vices.

Help them to rise above their sins, as the man rose up to stand,

Help them to pick up their mats, serve You in this foreign land.

 

Help them find the way to You, no matter where they’ve roamed.

Though their hearts be crippled, help them back to the Church, their home.

Help them now sweet Jesus.  The hour is running late.

Go to them now, dear Jesus.  Make haste dear Lord, make haste.

 

(Based on Mark 2:1-12)