Stretcher Bearers

Building One Another -  Vol 13 No 3

Dear Friend,

I love this portion of the famous encounter between Jesus and a paralytic:
“Then some people came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. And when they could not bring him to Jesus because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him; and after having dug through it, they let down the mat on which the paralytic lay.  When Jesus saw their faith…” He forgave the paralytic and healed him!  Mark 2:3-5*

It was my teacher, Chuck Miller, who opened my eyes to this text when he asked the simple question, “Who are the stretcher bearers in your life?”

Who are the people – when you are down – physically, emotionally, and spiritually or in any other way – who carry you into the presence of Jesus? Who will stop at nothing to lift you up? Whose faith Jesus sees – not even glancing at your own faith or lack of it in the moment – and raises you up? 

These are people to treasure. Consider who they are – and thank them. In turn be a stretcher-bearer to those people our Lord puts into your life! 

With joy - E. Stanley Ott
Copyright 2014 E. Stanley Ott
*Scripture from the NRSV