«Righteousness guards him whose way is blameless, but wickedness overthrows the sinner» (Proverbs 13:6).
DECISIONS
My grandmother was a fervent Christian much of her life. She followed the principles of the gospel as they were taught and so transmitted them to her family. But one day she got sick and her strength and energy to participate in church programs were gradually exhausted. My parents interned her at the hospital, where she stayed just over a year. Every day I went to visit her when I got out of school. There she would be, living in the cold environment of a medical center, struggling with her deteriorated health. Then my mother would take me home.
My grandmother’s situation was very complex. However, on the Sabbath she announced her desire to attend church. No matter what the explanations or the arguments would be for her to stay in the hospital, nothing could change her mind. We had to have day passes for her to leave, a van, and five men to move her. When she would get to church, her heart would be renewed, and tears would run down her cheeks. There she would be in the congregation with her walker and her Sabbath dress, singing her beloved hymns and worshiping her heavenly Father. Then she would resign herself to return to the sanatorium with a smile on her face.
In chapter 2 of the gospel according to Mark, the Bible presents the case of a patient who fervently desired to go see Jesus. His bad choices regarding his lifestyle had led him to acquire his disease. He was aware that his intemperance had made him bedridden. Yet even though he could not fend for himself, he knew that Jesus had the power to heal him. So he had to convince other people to take him to see the Divine Doctor.
We do not know how he did it, but he managed to persuade four people to not only carry his stretcher to the house where the Lord was preaching, but he also persuaded them to remove part of the roof and lower him down to so he could come face to face with Christ! That man did have the gift of persuasion! But why so much interest in seeing Jesus? He needed the Savior to forgive his bad decisions that had led him to acquire his disease. And when he came before Him, he did not even have to speak Jesus read his heart and granted him forgiveness.
Jesus Christ knows the concerns of your heart. Don’t just sit there in silence. Do everything in your power to show the Lord your desire to obtain the forgiveness for your bad decisions. Not even a disease can stop you from giving yourself to the Lord. Tell Him you’re sorry for your misconduct and ask for his forgiveness. Today is the day.