Christian Devotional – August 18, 2026

ADHD Gospel, Day 5

Unexpected response. Read Mark 2:1-5.

It’s been really hard to get to Jesus. We saw this even starting yesterday as we were reading the end of chapter one. The crowds have started to swarm Jesus everywhere he goes. Now he is having a homecoming. Jesus is coming back to his hometown where he grew up and everyone is excited. This is a standing room only event. People are crowding in around him and there’s no room for anybody to get close.

However, four men have heard of Jesus, and they have a friend. That friend has been paralyzed for years and these four friends want to see their him healed. They have heard the amazing things this Jesus can do, and they decide they are gonna do anything they can to get their friend to Jesus so that he can be healed. We read how they carried their friend up to the roof. They dismantled the roof of the house so they could lower their friend in on a stretcher in front of Jesus. That’s some serious commitment. Now, Jesus sees the man. He sees the friends. He opens his mouth and makes a statement that was completely unexpected. Jesus tells the man that his sins are forgiven.

Jesus doesn’t heal him from his paralysis. Thinking about that statement, honestly, there were probably only two people in that room that were excited that Jesus made that statement. The first was Jesus, and the second was the man himself. I bet the man was shocked, but completely overwhelmed with joy at the change in his life. We know that the leaders were angry at the statement. But I bet the friends were surprised and possibly disappointed or upset. After all, this wasn’t what they were expecting.

Jesus does many unexpected things. We may not be ready for what he does, but we can be sure that he is never wrong. Jesus knew what the man needed. He probably wouldn’t have asked for that, but that was what he truly needed.

Jesus knows exactly what we need in every situation. He will do unexpected things, but we can know that His reasons and His ways are perfect. Are we looking forward to whatever Jesus does in our life?

Watch the video devotional here: https://youtu.be/ZwGsa8oTH3I