Optimist’s Roundtable

By Martha Sykes

In the Bible we can read many stories about Jesus healing people. One the popular ones is the one about the paralyzed man. In the book of Mark, we can read this story about four friends who wanted Jesus to heal this man.

They knew Jesus was in town so they carried him to the place, but there were so many people that they couldn’t even get close to the door. The room was full, but that didn’t stop them. They just wouldn’t give up, so they removed part of the roof and lowered the paralytic down to where Jesus stood. This man could not go to Jesus by himself, but his friends had so much faith in Jesus, that they made sure they got this man to the place where Jesus could heal him.

The story illustrates so much about having so much faith, and reminds us of how we also should share our faith, especially to those who can’t maybe go to church because of a disability, or maybe they just are not well enough. I wrote a poem that I would like to share with you about having friendly faith.

We all need someone
In one way or another
And we all need a friend
Like a sister or brother

We all need a friend
As we kneel down to pray
For caring, for helping
For leading the way

A friend who will help us
In times of our need
A friend who would love us
Who will plant that first seed

It’s the love of the Savior
We need most of all
He’s there to carry each of us
As we stumble or fall

Sometimes life gives us lemons
Trials and troubles in this place
But God sends His love
His power and his grace

He listens to us grumble
He listens as we pray
His faithfulness is something
That’s there for us each day

So let us all be faithful,
Make a way for Christ in our life
Give Him so our sorrows
Our troubles and strife