Remember his strength – Day 2

Regrets and fears sometimes stalk the conscience of even the very best of human beings. After her death in September 1997, TIME magazine published a cover story on Mother Teresa entitled, Mother Teresa’s Crisis of Faith. In this article, written ten years after her death and quoting from her correspondence, they showed that even such a highly revered person was plagued by doubts about her relationship with God. This only showed how human she was and many of us can identify with her struggles.

How wonderful then to hear the words from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, “… your sins are forgiven!” In the story in Mark, the man who was ill was not presented to Jesus to have his sins forgiven. He was a paralytic and his friends frantically tore a hole in the roof, to let the man down in front of Jesus to be healed. However, the Saviour is wiser than the wisest of men and perceived a greater need in this man than simply the healing of his limbs, great though that need undoubtedly was. There was a much greater need. He needed his sins to be forgiven. This is a great reminder to us that, sometimes, the outward symptoms we experience occasionally mask a greater need. Often, when people are struggling, for instance, with a persistent depression or other troubling affliction, it is because the prevailing problem is not the chief problem. There is often a hidden need. Forgiveness is needed for some sin or failure that is deeply buried away in past memories.

The thing for us to notice is that this carpenter from Nazareth not only has the insight to know this about us, but also has the power and authority to forgive us, because of who he is and what he came to do for us.

Perhaps, your conscience is heavy as you read this. What can you do? You can turn to Jesus, knowing in full confidence that he receives all who come to him and he has the full authority to forgive all our sins, forever.