Big Picture

I read the story of Jesus healing the paraplegic today;(you remember that one from the felt-board don't you?) I noticed something I'd never noticed before. When the paraplegic's friends lowered him down through the roof, Jesus was touched, and he forgave his sins. That's it. He said your sins are forgiven, then he turned. It wasn't until the religous leaders started grumbling about how he couldn't forgive sins that he showed them that he had the authority to forgive sins and heal diseases.

But he forgave his sins first. It seems logical to me that he would have healed his disease and then forgave his sins, but I think in earthly terms. To God, our eternal status is more important than our earthly well-being. This life is a vapor, a mist, but eternity is, well, forever. God wants us for eternity, in our perfect state. The way he intended for us to be before we turned our back on him. I think that is evident in this story of Jesus. Our sins are forgiven, now rise and walk.