Just That Easy: Your New Year's Resolution

"I'm sorry.  You're saying God can do what?!"

So it's New Year's Eve, and I know there are a lot of resolutions being made right now.  Do one of your resolutions include not letting people keep you down, to push through to do whatever it is that you wanna do no matter what people say?  Well, you're in luck!  ;)  Listen to this great story:

"Back in the boat, Jesus and the disciples recrossed the sea to Jesus' hometown.  They were hardly out of the boat when some men carried a paraplegic  on a stretcher and set him down in front of them.  Jesus, impressed by their bold belief, said to the paraplegic, 'Cheer up, son.  I forgive your sins.' Some religion scholars whispered, 'Why, that's blasphemy!'

"Jesus knew what they were thinking, and said, 'Why this gossipy whispering?  Which do you think is simpler: to say, 'I forgive your sins,' or 'Get up and walk'?  Well, just so it's clear that I'm the Son of Man and authorized to do either, or both....'  At this He turned to the paraplegic and said, 'Get up.  Take your bed and go home.'  And the man did it.  The crowd was awestruck, amazed and pleased that God had authorized Jesus to work among them this way."  Matthew 9:1-8

There are quite a few things I like about this passage.  For one, it's so cool how simple He makes it: "'Get up...' And the man did it."  Um, the end.  All it takes is His  simple words, no magic way of saying it.  Also, I like the word, "authorized," used here.  "God authorized Jesus."  So strong, so bold.  So sure.  Another thing I like here is how Jesus calls out those who think they're being righteous.  Without them, there would be no story.  Sure, Jesus would've healed, but the story goes much deeper than that, don't you think?  You follow Jesus.  Don't follow anyone else.  Not even those who have a title like, "religious scholar."  With a title like that, I'm sure they know everything there is to know about all-things God, right?  Wrong.  We are all people.  Just people.  No matter what we do, or the training we have, we are all human people who fail to meet perfection.  So we're not always gonna be right... even if we think we are.

You just listen to God.  You seek out Jesus' face, no other.  He's the only one who is authorized in power to make word come to life, no matter how far out of reach.

Bless you, and I'll talk with ya next year!  (And yes, I agree I'm a dork for saying that.)

-Tara K