On the mat

The story is familiar. We’re going along on our merry way when suddenly, one day,  life takes an unexpected turn: a turn that leaves us injured, wounded and  feeling paralyzed.   We find ourselves in desperate need of help . I’m sure you have been there.

The Bible tells the story of the paralyzed man who couldn’t get to Jesus on his own. There were no wheelchairs, no hospital bed. He laid on a mat….Until his friends enter the scene.  God and man connected for a moment because his friends cared.   It was ultimately THEIR FAITH, not his own, that  healed him.  With compassion and great determination, four of them surrounded the paralyzed man and lifted the mat he lay on, carrying him to the house where Jesus was. And they didn’t stop there.  Through the crowds, the paralyzed man still couldn’t get to Jesus on his own. So the friends found a way- together. They distributed and shouldered his weight. They strategized, stumbled, leaned on each other, and creatively decided to just break the roof off the house. (Whose idea was that? Those are pretty determined friends,  if you ask me). Through that hole, they lowered their friend on the mat all the way down to Jesus’ feet.  “Pay attention to this one, Lord!” And BECAUSE OF THEIR FAITH, Jesus healed the man.

Can you relate to this story? I sure can. Two years ago, I was that girl on the mat. A series of painful events including the death of my grandmother and a devastating house fire left me broken, emotionally and physically exhausted, and paralyzed with fear.  It was in that time that the God who sees me and knows our needs came in the form of friends. Many, many folks jumped on board to help us, but 4 key people, in particular, chose the messy job of carrying my mat. Each one grabbed an end and carried me to Jesus.  They mobilized the community to provide food for our family, a roof over our heads, toys for our kids, care for my little ones when I couldn’t be a mother, and offered tons of emotional support.  Through THEM I knew God was real. God was caring for me through the hands and feet of friends.  Left on my own, I wouldn’t have been able to get off my mat and out of my pit. It was their love in action, their FAITH that God used to heal me.

Gradually I regained my strength. Then recently, one of my 4  mat- holder friends went down. She was the strongest of us all…none of us saw it coming.  She had been my “rock” in my ugliest and darkest days. It was time to carry her. With renewed vision I assumed the role of mat- holder, gladly sacrificing myself so this time my friend could be whole again.

” Comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” (2 Corithians 1:2)

I watched my friend paralyzed from the pain of watching two loved ones pass away within the span of a couple weeks. And so…it was time for the mat-holders, those who were carried by her before, to be the hands and feet of Jesus, to provide for her tangible needs, clean her house, care for her kids, cry with her ,pray for Jesus to do a miracle. We assume new positions around the mat and carry our friend to Jesus begging Him to pay attention.

And I’m learning that this, my friends,  is community. RICH, deep, MESSY community. God did not create us to be alone. He comes in mysterious, supernatural ways. And sometimes he shows Himself through people.  They carried me on my mat when I couldn’t survive life alone, He healed me because of their faith. And now that I’m stronger it is a joy to carry them when life leaves them paralyzed.

Who in your life is “paralyzed” and can’t get to Jesus alone? Let’s be  mat-holders.

And when we find ourselves in those dark places  lying paralyzed on a mat- let us lay aside our pride and be willing to let God become real through our friends who know the way to the healer and will stop at no end to get us there.

“Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ” Galatians 6:2

Grateful,

Alyssa