Lenten Reader | Day 4

February 20th, 2026

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “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.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”

Once again Jesus went out beside the lake. A large crowd came to him, and he began to teach them. As he walked along, he saw Levi son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” Jesus told him, and Levi got up and followed him.

While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples: “Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Mark 2:1-17

Bridge the Gap

The hero of this passage, the “Rock Star,” is obviously Jesus! He heals, he forgives, and he provides a way for eternal life – that could be the end of this story, and what a great message it would be!

But we also learn of the other heroes in this story: the four able-bodied men who carried the disabled man to the roof to see Jesus. They likely could have left their friend behind and possibly had front-row seats when Jesus was preaching the Gospel. Instead, these heroes – these friends – took their friend and became the avenue for him to receive forgiveness and healing – ultimately receiving eternal life!

Think of a time in your life when someone came along to bridge the gap to provide for your physical or spiritual needs?

For me, as we mourn the loss of our dear friend Anne Cox, I can’t help but think of when she helped me during a crisis in my life. When I felt like I was at my lowest, she called me and prayed for me over the phone. She prayed for things that I had not even shared with her, which revealed to me how the Spirit was working in her to stand in the gap between me and Jesus. Ultimately, it was her prayers and those of others that brought my faith and walk closer to God.

What can you do to bring someone closer to Jesus? Could it be providing physical needs such as food, transportation, helping hands? Or could you help by providing a listening ear, an encouraging word, or a heartfelt prayer?

You don’t have to be a spiritual giant to make a difference; you just have to be willing to be used. Be the friend who notices the need. Be the voice that prays when someone else has run out of words. Be the bridge that connects a hurting heart to the Healer. As Matthew 25:40 says, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Beth Mitten