Special Appointments with Jesus
We meet a two people who work hard to make ‘special appointments’ with Jesus. It’s not easy to reach Him, but when they do, He rewards their efforts.
Two of the people we meet today can’t reach Jesus when He is surrounded by so many people. One isn’t allowed to interact with groups and the other because he can’t get through the crowds. Jesus’ heart goes out to both of them. Neither man has an easy time getting to Jesus, but they don’t give up.
Let’s rejoin our story as Jesus continues to teach, heal, and forgive. Holy Spirit, guide this journey. Show me the stories in my heart and mind. Make them come alive and flow onto the page. Let me see Jesus’ love for these men lived out before me.
♥ ♦ ♥
Jesus has been healing people, left and right for months. People are leaving their encounters with Him, changed forever! But not everyone can walk into the crowd and push their way to Jesus. Some are forced, by society’s rules, to sit back and watch. One such person is Micah.
Micah has been an outcast since he developed lesions on his skin. He knew what it was, even before he went to the priest. He tried to hide it, until the lesions appeared on his face. Once his disease was visible to those around him, he has been in exile. Leprosy. He has to call out the name of his disease any time he walks through an area where anyone else is. He can’t enter anyone’s home. He can’t even live inside the city! He has a hovel just outside the city; far enough away from the gates so his disease won’t ‘be carried on the wind’ to unsuspecting people.
For weeks, Micah has covered himself and snuck into town. He stays on the very edges of the crowd. He hears the exclamations of excitement and relief as Jesus heals the people. He is glad for them, but his heart aches to be one of them. One that Jesus would reach out and touch. And make clean.
Micah sneaks back to his hovel before he is noticed. The people would probably stone him if they knew how close he got to them without calling out a warning.
Tonight, Micah’s heart is breaking. Two days ago, he crept to the edge of the HUGE crowd that came to the house of Simon. He stayed hidden and watched the whole night through. Jesus didn’t stop touching and healing people until the very last person was ministered to. He crept away when Jesus and His followers went to sleep.
Thoughts flood his mind as he tries to settle down and sleep. “Why couldn’t I have been one of those people? Just once, to kneel before Him and ask for His help.” Another thought leaps unbidden to Micah’s mind. “What if Jesus isn’t willing to heal a leaper? Is my disease too sinful for Him to even look on me?” Tears softly slip down the sides of his face and into his hair as he looks up at the heavens, wondering if he is beyond the love of even Jesus.
Worn out with worry, Micah finally falls asleep. The next morning, he is awakened by voices. He KNOWS these voices! He has heard them many times, but only from a distance. It is Jesus and some of His followers. Micah tilts his head and listens as the voices grow closer. He doesn’t hear the sounds of a crowd, pushing in on Jesus.
Micah’s heart leaps when he realizes the implications of this. “Jesus is nearly alone. Here is my chance to reach Him.” The thought of Jesus rejecting him tries to push its way into his mind, but he shoves it out as soon as it enters.
Micah emerges from his hovel and sees Jesus moving in his direction. He looks down at himself. He is obviously a mess. He quickly brushes the dust from his clothes and smooths his hair, what there is of it, with his hands. He is ready.
As Jesus nears Micah’s hovel, Micah deliberately steps into Jesus’ path and falls to his knees. In as clear of a voice as he has ever spoke, he calls out to Jesus.
“If you are willing, you can make me clean” (Mark 2:40).
Micah holds his breath and waits. He doesn’t know what Jesus is going to do. Or what His disciples might do. They could stone him for even approaching Jesus. Micah can’t look away.
Jesus takes a step towards Micah and he flinches. Jesus stops and locks eyes with Micah. His eyes speak love. “He sees me” Micah’s heart cries. Tears begin to slip past his lashes as Jesus takes two more steps towards him. Micha trembles as Jesus stands a mere handsbreadth away.
The most AMAZING thing happens; Jesus reaches out His hand and TOUCHES Micah. This alone is enough to fill Micah’s heart with joy, but Jesus isn’t finished yet.
“I am willing,” Jesus says in a voice that pierces Micah’s heart like the morning sun to eyes shut tight for the night. “Be clean!” (Mark 2:41).
Instantly, Micha feels his skin begin to tingle. His whole body is alive with this feeling. Jesus drops His hand from Micah’s shoulder. Micah’s eyes are drawn to his own hands and he sees beautiful bronze coloring. His hands are CLEAN!
Before Micha can rise and run through the town, telling everyone of his healing, Jesus speaks again.
“See that you don’t tell this to anyone. But go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them” (Mark 2:44).
Micah nods vigorously. Of course! He will do exactly what Jesus has commanded. Micah quickly rises from his knees. He almost stumbles as he rises, but Jesus reaches out a steadying hand. After Micah is safely on his feet, Jesus and His disciples continue on their way.
Micah hurries to the stream where he washes his face and hands. He wants to take a full bath, but doesn’t want to take the time yet. He will have to do a ritual cleansing anyway after seeing the priest.
Examining his reflection in the water, Micah smiles at the disease-free face looking back at him. Micah has to make a decision. “Do I go straight to Jerusalem and make my offering there, or do I go to a local priest and be pronounced clean?” He decides of the second option. “I will make my offering here first, and be pronounced clean so that I can enter the Temple when I reach Jerusalem.”
With that settled, Micah goes in search of a priest. He goes to the synagogue and finds a priest working in the building.
“I have come to present myself for your inspection. I was a leaper who has been made clean.”
The priest’s eyes grow large. He takes a cautious step towards Micah.
Micah recognizes his reluctance in approaching him. He quickly shoves the sleeves of his garment high on his arms, showing the clean skin on his forearms.
The priest nods and steps closer. “How long have you had leprosy?”
“I was unclean for ten years.”
“And how did you treat it so that you are clean now” the priest asks with astonishment.
“I was healed by God.”
“Did Jesus have anything to do with your healing?”
Micah remembers Jesus’ words, but he cannot lie. The priest is asking him a direct question. “He did.”
The priest nods his head. He has seen many of Jesus’ miracles. “All right. Let’s get the formalities over with.”
The priest takes Micah to a private room where he can examine him, head to toe. Not a single lesion is found on his whole body. Not even a mark for the priest to circle for later comparison.
“You are indeed clean. Of leprosy, that is. Now you need to take a bath and clean the filth away. Do this before going to the purification pool. There you will perform the ritual cleansing of your spirit and body.”
Micah bows and hurries off to do exactly as the priest commanded. By evening, Micah is back inside the city walls, dining with his family. They made a huge feast to celebrate his return from the dead. He obeys Jesus’ words and doesn’t tell anyone else that Jesus healed him.
The priest, on the other hand, can’t be quiet about Micah’s healing. He tells everyone he meets about the miraculous healing of a man with leprosy. Soon, everyone is talking about it.
There is another person in town, Daniel, who longs for Jesus’ touch. This man is paralyzed. He fell from an olive tree during picking season, striking several limbs as he tumbled through the air. He has not walked since that day. In fact, he has not even sat in a chair. He spends his whole life lying on his back.
Daniel has heard the stories of Jesus’ work in town. He is certain that, if he could somehow get to Him, he would be healed. Today, the story of a leaper is brought to his ears as his family discusses the latest news of Jesus.
“I HAVE to get to Jesus” Daniel vows in his heart. But how. Daniel thinks over this problem all night. By morning, he has the beginnings of a plan.
Daniel’s wife come in to tend to him. As she washes his body, he pours out his plan.
“Send word for Thaddeus to come visit me. I have a task for him.”
Daniel doesn’t often make requests. He believes himself a burden on his family and he tries to take as little from them as possible.
His wife readily agrees and Thaddeus is standing beside Daniel within the hour.
“What is it you need, my friend” Thaddeus asks.
“I don’t want to impose, but I need your help. Yours and three others of our old friends.”
“Name it and, if it is within my power, it will be yours.”
“I NEED to get to Jesus. I can’t get there on my own, but I KNOW if I were to be placed before Him, He would heal me.”
“How are you going to get before Him?”
“That is where you and three others come in. If you could carry me to where He is ministering, I’m certain He would look on me with pity and heal me.”
Thaddeus smiles. “I will put things in motion immediately. We will have to find a place where we can actually carry you to Him. It has to be somewhere nearby. Don’t worry. I’ll work it out.”
Daniel rests his head back on his mat. All he has to do now is be patient.
A few weeks later, Jesus is invited into the home of one of the elders. He has been listening to Jesus’ teaching in the synagogue as often as possible. As this elder is usually engaged in other activities during the Sabbath service, he wants time to sit and listen to Jesus.
“Please, come to my home today and teach us. Several of my friends have gathered to hear You speak” he tells Jesus.
Jesus readily agrees and the two men set off for the official’s home. This is actually the same official whose son was healed.
The official’s home is quite large, but as news of Jesus agreeing to go there spreads quickly. Within an hour, the house is packed with people. Others are leaning in through the windows and through the door to be able to hear him.
Thaddeus learned of Jesus’ scheduled appearance right away. He set Daniel’s plan in motion the moment he knew. Everyone and everything was already waiting and in place, all they needed was a time and place.
Thaddeus and three other friends make their way to the home where Jesus is teaching. Daniel lies suspended on a stretcher between them. They are all excited. Not only will they be able to see Jesus in action, but it will be for a man who truly needs His hand.
As the group approaches the house, they see it overflowing with people. Daniel turns his head and looks at the crowd. “Kindly ask them to step aside so we can enter. I HAVE to get to Jesus!”
Thaddeus asks but the people refuse to budge even an inch. “We can’t get in. They won’t move.”
Daniel begins to weep softly. “So much for my big plan. I’ll never get close to Jesus. I guess this is what is meant to be.”
Daniel’s friends hear the pain and despair in Daniel’s voice. Their hearts ache for him. One of them refuses to give up. His name is David. “I’ll be right back.”
David begins walking the perimeter of the house. People are blocking every window and are just as stubborn about moving as those in front of the door. David keeps looking. His eye is drawn to a ladder leaning up against the house. An idea begins to form. He hurries back to the group waiting near the gate.
“I have an idea how we can get Daniel inside.”
His friends are all ears!
“Thaddeus, go and get your longest ladder and bring it to the back side of the house.”
Thaddeus looks at him funny but hurries off to do the task.
“You to, go find as much rope as you can, and a blanket.”
The others hurry off to their jobs. While Daniel waits, David gives him a brief explanation of his plan. “We are going to get you onto the room and let you down through the roof.”
Everyone arrives with the supplies. Thaddeus places the ladder behind the house and hurries back.
“Here is what we need to do” David begins. “First, lay the blanket over Daniel. It will protect him for the next step.”
The blanket is quickly applied.
“Take the ropes and secure him to the stretcher. Tie him in tight because we are going to have to lift him straight up.”
The rope is wound around Daniel and his whole body is lashed to the stretcher. One the knots are secure and tested, David continues.
“Let’s will take him around back.”
Once they are behind the house, David locates a space where there is open wall. “Set him down here and tie long ropes onto each corner.”
While his friends are tying the ropes, Daniel takes the first ladder he found and places it against the house. He then takes the one Thaddeus brought and places it a few feet away, against the house.
“Two of us will climb up, holding the ropes in front. Once we are on the roof, we will pull Daniel and the stretcher up. The two of you will steady the bottom until we get him on the roof. Then the two of you join us up here. We are going to make a hole in the roof and put Daniel down right in front of Jesus!”
Everyone is excited and eager to get underway. It isn’t easy. Daniel is terrified of falling out of the stretcher and becoming even more injured. He squeezes his eyes tightly shut and prays the whole time. Not until he feels himself lying flat on the roof does he open them. His friends quickly remove the ropes binding Daniel to the stretcher.
The people in the house hear noises on the roof but pay it little attention. Jesus has their undivided attention, until debris starts falling from over their heads.
The men on the roof work furiously, pulling back each layer of palm fronds, mud, and brick until they expose the beams. Once the beams are exposed, they stomp one foot at a time on the inner ceiling until it cracks. When the crack appears, they dig their fingers through it and pry upwards.
Finally! A hole large enough for them to lower Daniel through is made. By now, everyone in the house is looking up. The friends each take a rope on a corner and lower Daniel right down into the middle of the room.
The homeowner stands, mouth gaping. He wants to yell at them for destroying his house, but the words are stuck in his throat.
Smiling the whole time, Jesus waits patiently for Daniel to rest on the ground in front of Him. As soon as Daniel is safely on the ground, Jesus looks him in the eye.
“Son, your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5).
Several priests and elders in the room begin questioning in their own hearts. They aren’t ready to say their questions out loud, for fear of the crowd. But within, they are raging! “Who does this Man think He is! ‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’ (Mark 2:9).”
Jesus knows exactly what they are thinking. And He isn’t going to let them get away with it. Everyone needs answers to this question. “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home” (Mark 2:8-11).
Daniel immediately springs to his feet. Not only is his back healed, but he has the strength in his legs to hop up off the ground. To honor Jesus, he bends down and grabs the stretcher his friends brought him in on. He folds it up the best he can, and turns towards the door. “Excuse me” he says as he makes his way to the door and out into the garden. He doesn’t stop until he reaches the street.
By the time Daniel makes it out of the house, his friends are down from the roof and waiting by the gate. They are all talking excitedly about what just happened.
Inside the house, the people are praising God for this work. NO ONE can deny this miracle, or the determination of a few good men.
“We have never seen anything like this!” (Mark 2:12).
Daniel and his friends hurry home to his family, praising God all the way there. Daniel’s wife, who had been praying the whole time they are gone, hears their voices and rushes out the door.
Daniel sees her coming towards him. He throws the bed aside and runs to her. He envelops her in a fierce hug. They remain that way for some time, crying on one another’s shoulders. Finally, Daniel steps back and says; “Do you think you would be up to baking one of your famous cakes?”
“I can bake a HUNDRED cakes, but why?”
“I want to send Jesus the best one. For what He did in my life today.”
“I’ll make Him the BEST cake he ever ate!”
Daniel invites his friends to eat with them and celebrate the work that God just did in his life.
“Not only did Jesus heal my body, but He healed my spirit as well. My sins are FORGIVEN!”
Jesus finishes teaching and returns to the home of Simon. It has been a long day and He is tired. He is also pleased with what His Abba allowed the people to see today. Jesus and His disciples enter the house and, waiting in the middle of the table is the largest raisin cake they have ever seen.
Simon’s wife sees their faces. “A grateful family dropped this off to say ‘Thank You’ for what Jesus did in their lives today.”
(to be continued)
I would LOVE to have been in the house that day! To have seen the faces of the people as the ceiling was pulled back and a man lowered down in their midst. Did anyone protest? Did they scramble away from falling debris? Did they reach up and help lower the bed to the ground? Or did they stand there with their mouths hanging open in surprise.
This is the first time Jesus has shown them that He is able to forgive sins. I wonder what the man’s sin was. Was he surprised when Jesus said his sins were forgiven? Or did he feel in his heart that he must have been horribly sinful, to be punished like this by God? I didn’t even think of that part in my story. Was he tormented by this thought? Did he NEED Jesus to say those words?
Father God, I’m MORE than grateful that Jesus forgives sins. I have many that have been washed completely away by Jesus’ blood. I would be permanently lost without His forgiveness. I have also experienced His healing hand in my life. Nothing as drastic as what this man experienced, but just as welcome.
The fact that he had no atrophy of his body is another miracle Jesus performed in that moment. Jesus could have healed his body and allowed him to retrain his muscles, but He did the FULL job. It was for the people’s faith as much as the man’s. Did he expect immediate strength? Just curious.
