TUESDAY (3/2/21)

Hi, my name is Wade Stoller and I am part of the West of Westside
Home Group. With a bit of a push, I retired in August 2019. After working
for 50 years, I am trying to determine what I want to be when I grow
up. Through the confusion of this transition, God has been faithfully
directing my path.

  • Please pause here and read Matthew 9:1-13

The story of the paralytic and the story of Matthew’s calling by Jesus
seem like an odd pairing. On the surface the paralytic needed physical
healing while Matthew needed social healing. What they had in common
is that both of them needed their sins forgiven. With the paralytic, Jesus
challenges him and the religious leaders present by telling him his sins
are forgiven. Then to silence the scoffers, HE tells the paralytic to rise up
and go home, which he joyfully does. After Matthew is called by Jesus,
he called together his colleagues and hosted a dinner party for Jesus.
When the religious leaders condemn Jesus for eating with sinners,
Jesus points out it is the sick that need a physician, not the healthy. The
sickness HE is referring to is sin. Both men are healed by responding in
obedience and faith to Jesus. Any other decision would have left them
in their former condition.

Just like Matthew and the paralytic, our greatest need is God’s
forgiveness of our sins. There may be sin in our life of which we are not
aware, or we may be actively ignoring God’s call to repent.

  • As you meditate on the life and crucifixion of Jesus, ask the Holy Spirit to examine your life. Ask HIM to reveal any areas of sin that HE finds and then lead you into sincere confession and repentance before the Father’s throne of grace. You will find God’s grace is sufficient.