Be a door...

When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterward, it was heard that He was at home. And many were gathered together, so that there was no longer room, not even near the door; and He was speaking the word to them. And they came, bringing to Him a paralytic, carried by four men. Being unable to get to Him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above Him; and when they had dug an opening, they let down the pallet on which the paralytic was lying. Mark 2:1-4 nasu

I am continually surprised by Mark. For instance, today's passage. I have taught the story of the man who was let down through the roof to Y'shua countless times. It is one of our basic Sunday School and Children's Church stories. I really did not expect to see anything new in this reading. I may have even mentioned that sad detail in my prayers for open eyes before reading the passage.

...and many were gathered together, that that there was no longer room, not even near the door...

The apostle John lets us know that Y'shua is the door, I get that. He is the only way to the Kingdom (John 10:9). I also understand that Y'shua stands at the door and knocks, desiring that we answer. I sort of get that. But in this passage four friends bring someone who is unable to come to Y'shua and stop at nothing to get him to Y'shua. But what is the point? Is it their faith? (their "amen" or standing firm on the Word?). 

Here is the place where knowing a tiny bit of Hebrew throws open a window on the passage. There were four friends. There is nothing coincidental or casual about Scripture. Four friends is very specific. Four is the number of the Hebrew letter Dalet. Dalet is symbolic of a door. Read that again, The four friends are symbolic of a door. They made a way to get the paralytic to Y'shua. Dalet is also symbolic of a choice to enter into hope. 

We cannot "save" anyone, but we can be the door that Salvation (Y'shua) uses. We know the firm hope that the Almighty is for our life. We know the hope that the hopeless have no vision of. We are to make a way for the hopeless and helpless to come to Y'shua, the door, the way to the Kingdom of God. Be that door, don't let anything from this earth keep you from being the door to hope! 

Mrs. Hagerty

August 19, 2016