I do believe faith is to be lived in “community” with fellow believers.
A community where we can learn from others, share experiences, encourage one another, share burdens and prayer requests, join in thanksgiving, and love others as God loves us.
This community can come in different forms–our families, our friends, our local church community, a small group or subdivision from our church community, maybe even friends from cyberspace that we have never met in person.
Have you ever experienced a major crisis in your life where the faith of your friends actually carried you through the event?
…Maybe you just could not muster the faith to believe things would turn out okay?
…Perhaps you could not find the strength to really pray while enduring your trial? God just seemed so distant though you know He never leaves us.
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There are two Bible stories that are recorded for us that demonstrate the importance of faith and how the faith of our friends can intervene for us in our lives.
Take a moment to read them below and reflect on the lessons for us to emulate in our lives.
The first is from Mark 2:3-5. (NIV)
Some men came, bringing to Him a paralytic, 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 and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “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 the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk?’ But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins….”
He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He (the paralytic) 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!”
Thoughts to reflect on:
These four men were determined to take their friend to Jesus because they desperately wanted to help their friend.
In fact, they were so desperate that they made a hole in the roof of the house where Jesus was because the crowds were so great!
I love the line, “When Jesus saw THEIR faith….”—these men were standing in faith that Jesus could heal their friend.
Jesus met the man’s deepest need: forgiveness first.
Jesus performed another miracle by healing the man physically…..The man left the house walking, and I have to think his life continued to reflect the great faith that he shared with his friends that day!
The people left praising God for His healing!
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The second story is from Luke 7:2-10 (NIV)
There, a centurion’s servant, whom his master valued highly, was sick and about to die. The centurion heard of Jesus and sent some elders of the Jews to Him, asking Him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they pleaded earnestly with Him, “This man deserves to have you do this, because he loves our nation and has built our synagogue.” So Jesus went with them.
He was not far from the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Him: “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you. But say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me. I tell this one, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.”
When Jesus heard this, He was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd following him, He said, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith even in Israel.” Then the men who had been sent returned to the house and found the servant well.
Thoughts to reflect on:
The centurion, though high in rank in charge of soldiers, was genuinely concerned about one of his slaves.
The elders were standing in faith for the man who was about to die…they were sent to find Jesus.
The centurion knew that Jesus was the one that could save his servant. He respected Jesus’ authority, even though the centurion was of an elite status himself.
The centurion was humble; he knew that Jesus only had to say the word right where He was, and the servant would be healed.
Jesus rewarded the faith of the centurion and healed his servant.
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It seems both of these stories also show the importance of sharing faith with a local community of believers.
The last few years I have been blessed to be involved in a few Bible studies through my church. We end the study each week partnering with a specific person to be prayer partners for the week.
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This has been a very meaningful experience for me. Taking time to listen to someone’s prayer request and then lifting that intention up to the Lord during the week for that person is a blessing. It shows how connected our faith is…to fellow believers and to God.
Checking in with the person via email or a phone call during the week is another nice touch to show we care and reminds the person their intention is being prayed for. Praying and standing in faith with others allows us to think of others more, to realize our faith can help intercede on another’s behalf, and to extend the love of God to them.