Strength

Hannah stared at the empty Sunday School classroom. Soon the kids would be arriving, but for now she wrote the memory verse on the whiteboard, a simple task, but one she would never take for granted again.

It took Hannah a great deal of strength to come back today, and this strength could only be a gift from God. There had been so much change since the last time she walked into the class room. As Hannah looked down at her non-working legs, she let out a long sigh. Although she grieved, she was grateful to be alive. She would go to Heaven, when God called her, not before.

She smiled as the kids greeted her cheerfully as they entered the classroom. Her students missed her, others filled in for her, some probably far more qualified than she was, but the good Lord, and these kids gave her the strength to endure.

“We prayed you would get better so you could come back, and now you are.” Rachel excitedly said. Even though she was the youngest student in the Sunday School class, she was far from shy.

“I’m glad I’m back.” I smiled. The Children’s Enthusiasm and Faith were greatly appreciated.

“Can you read us the story about the paralyzed man Jesus healed?” Kevin asked.

I nodded, it wasn’t really part of the lesson laid out for the day, but the children had questions, and I was sure I knew the questions to come.

I opened the Bible to Mark 2, and began reading…

Mark 2:1–6

Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralyzed Man

2 A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. 2 They gathered in such large numbers that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. 3 Some men came, bringing to him a paralyzed man, carried by four of them. 4 Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. 5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralyzed man, “Son, your sins are forgiven.”

I let the words sink in, the hope found in God’s word. Before I began answering the kids questions!