“And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, ‘Son, your sins are forgiven.’”
— Mark 2:5 ESV

“Son, your sins are forgiven.”

Those were the first words that Mark records Jesus saying upon seeing a paralytic man being lowered from a hole in the roof of the crowded home he was teaching in.

These first words are striking. Jesus made no demands and placed no conditions. He simply stated, matter-of-fact: “Your sins are forgiven.”

The only thing we know is that Jesus saw faith. The faith that leads people to get as close to him as possible because they know that when they are close to him they will discover the answer they seek.

Today, simply remember that Jesus’ first response to the paralytic was forgiveness.

Don’t let your failures and mistakes make you hide from God. You have nothing to fear, for the Lord is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Exodus 34:6 ESV).

Here’s a simple prayer to carry with you today:

Breathe in: Jesus,
Breathe out: I want to be close to you.