Read: Luke 5:17–26
Have you ever been in general admission for a sold out concert? People are packed in like sardines, and there’s no room to move a muscle. That’s where this scene in Luke chapter 5 takes place. People had filled every corner of this room to hear Jesus teach, and there was no way for anyone else to get in.
But that didn’t stop the friends of a paralyzed man. They knew a touch from Jesus was the only way he would be healed, so they did what any rational person would do: they climbed onto the roof, tore it open, and lowered their friend down right in front of Jesus.
Everyone expected Jesus to heal the man’s legs. That was the obvious need, after all. But Jesus didn’t begin with healing. He began with forgiveness.
That probably confused the crowd (and maybe even the man himself). But Jesus knew something they didn’t: he knew that beneath the man’s broken body was a broken heart. And before restoring what others could see, Jeus wanted to heal what they couldn't. After that, he healed the man physically, too. He was able to stand up, pick up his mat, and walk out in full view of everyone.
This story is a reminder that Jesus sees us completely. He knows what’s beneath the surface. Sometimes we come to him asking for one thing, and he gives us something more, something we didn’t know we needed.
Maybe there’s an area in your life where you feel paralyzed. If you’ve been asking God to fix what’s visible, he might be trying to reach something deeper. So, bring your whole self to him. Be honest about what you think you need, but be open to what else he might want to do. His healing always goes further than we expect.