hope

When Christians try to discern God’s will, they often ask the Lord to open or close a door. They want simplicity and certainty.

But one needn’t be a disciple of Jesus to be governed by circumstances. If you apply for two jobs and only one company offers you a position, there’s nothing to figure out. You need a job, you can’t have one of them, so you take the other. Settled!

When you have a good choice and a bad one before you, how much wisdom do you need to pick what’s good? Not a lot, although God helps us even with the obvious!

“This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.” – Deuteronomy 30:19

Maybe I’m a contrarian, but I’ve prayed with people that God would give them at least two good options. I want them to grow spiritually and not be afraid to choose.

But how do you decide between two good alternatives? What’s your basis for evaluating the options? Do you worry that although they both appear fine, one is actually wrong? Are you scared of being fooled? Relax, God gives wisdom to those who ask!

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” – James 1:5

Sometimes you face dilemmas; rather than enjoying two good alternatives, you have the burden of two unpleasant options.

In such cases, it’s natural to feel trapped. How do you get yourself into such predicaments and more important, how do you get out of them?

So that you can appreciate His authority, Jesus may make things worse before He makes them better.

Let’s see how.

“A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that He had come home. 2They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and He preached the word to them.” – Mark 2:1-2

Christ’s reputation must have preceded Him so when He returned to Capernaum, His neighbors mobbed Him. Jesus grew up with them; they thought they knew Him, but what were all these rumors and stories about revelations and miracles? Curiosity got the better of them; the crowd had to see for themselves what was so special about the carpenter’s son.

What have you heard about Jesus that makes you inquisitive? What problem do you have that only He can deal with?

“Some men came, bringing to Him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4Since 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.” – Mark 2:3-4

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. Well, at least four men needed Jesus to heal their friend. They wouldn’t permit a crowd to block them. Too desperate to wait outside or turn back, they engaged in an act of creative destruction. All for a good cause!

What are you facing that’s so demanding, so crucial, that you can’t afford to quit?

“When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’ 6Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, 7‘Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?’” – Mark 2:5-7

The paralytic needed healing but Christ focused on faith and forgiveness. The result? He pleased no one! The elites accused Jesus of pride and blasphemy. And the five latecomers must have been upset, too. They sought a miracle, not a moral lesson.

Do you feel like the Lord isn’t paying attention to you? Like you pray about one matter but He focuses on something else? Why do you think Jesus does that?

“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? 9Which is easier: to say to this paralyzed man, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Get up, take your mat and walk”?’” – Mark 2:8-9

Jesus persisted in His spiritual emphasis. And like any good teacher, His questions provoked His listeners. They could no longer sit still and observe; they had to determine whether they believed in Christ.

How would you have answered? It’s easier to forgive someone than to heal a person, isn’t it? We have control over the former but not over the latter.

But is that right? A good Jew in Jesus’ day could offer neither response. Either option involves playing God. Only God can forgive; only He can heal.

So Jesus set up Himself to fail. He created a dilemma and threw Himself into it. From the standpoint of the crowd, Christ had no way out; He’s either a blasphemer or a fraud.

“‘But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.’ So He said to the man, 11‘I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.’ 12He 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!’” – Mark 2:10-12

Jesus did the impossible; He obliterated the predicament and the crowd ate it up! I’m sure the five did, too!

Why did Christ create and resolve this dilemma? He did so because we encounter so many of them. We run into some and we fashion others, but either way, we find ourselves weighed down, caught, and sunk.

Situations appear impossible. Hope lies distant because we see no way out. Nothing we try works. What can God do? Does He care?

According to David Cooperrider, “we live in the world our questions create.” By posing a question and then acting on it, Christ created a new world of blessing for a paralyzed, sinful man.

By questioning His audience, He was seeking to usher them into the kingdom of God.

By setting you up with a dilemma, Jesus is attempting to change your life.

List your limitations. What impediments are you dealing with? What restrictions do you place on the Lord’s authority? Listen for His questions to your soul.

Now describe your opportunities. What can Jesus do in your life? How can He demonstrate His authority?

And what can He accomplish through you? Who are you willing to carry to Christ?

It’s all a matter of possibilities.