“Tell me again how this patient got here?” I asked the hospital staff workers.
“He came by wheelbarrow,” they said.
Still in disbelief, I looked at the picture they had taken when the patient had arrived. The staff were also surprised by the patient’s mode of transportation. I eventually found out that they traveled “many miles” to get to the hospital. The patient and his family were too poor to afford a taxi or even a local bus, so the family and some friends took it upon themselves to bring him to the eye hospital by wheelbarrow!
Thankfully, he was able to receive the treatment he needed and return to his village after recovering from surgery. This reminded me of another story in the Bible where four men carried a paralytic to Jesus for healing. However, the place where he was staying was so crowded they couldn’t get in.
So, the friends went up on the roof, dug a hole through it, and lowered him down right in front of Jesus, so that he might see him face to face. These were true friends and through their efforts, we have an amazing account of Jesus not only healing him, but also forgiving his sins! It was an amazing testimony that sent shock waves through the community because they had never seen or heard anything like this before.
As we think about the people the Lord has brought into our lives and community, what are we willing to do to help bring them the healing they need? What would we be willing to do to bring others to Jesus? Would you be willing to bring them by wheelbarrow or carry them on a bed? Thankfully, for us today, it is probably more about the sharing of a timely word rather than a physical exertion. But are we ready to help out when the need arises? Are you and I willing to go the extra mile so that others may hear the saving words of Jesus?
Ask the Lord to give you opportunity this week to share his grace and peace with one Muslim. Perhaps this could involve sharing the story of the paralytic, who was carried by four of his friends, or another story the Lord places on your heart. Whatever message it is, share it with love and compassion, just as these friends shared their love and compassion with their paralytic friend.
We and many others are praying for 10% of the Muslim world to come to Christ in 10 years. It’s a simple and yet truly profound request that we are bringing before God, as only he can make it happen. God has declared through the prophets many times that he is calling people from the ends of the earth to believe and put their trust in him. We agree and ask that many be saved from the Muslim world. Would you join us? We specifically pray every first Friday of each month while some have selected other days of the month. But we are united with one voice—for many Muslims to come to know him as Lord and Savior.
Pray for an end to the unrest sweeping US college campuses. Pray for peace and for level-headed thinking to prevail. Hate has gained a foothold and we pray for the peace, power, and healing touch of Jesus to change these agitators’ hearts.
Pray for Christian workers in Muslim lands. Pray for strength for each day and for courage and wisdom in how to live out their faith.
Pray for the continued stream of refugees coming into our country, both legal and illegal, that they would hear the gospel of Jesus for the first time in their lives. Pray for wisdom for our government leaders to know how to resolve the complex immigration issues and for prudent steps to be implemented.
Pray for visions and dreams for your Muslim friends, neighbors and colleagues, so that their long-held beliefs and traditions would be shattered and replaced with the light of Christ.
