Your Greatest Need

And when he returned to Capernaum after some days, it was reported that he was at home. 2 And many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even at the door. And he was preaching the word to them. 3 And they came, bringing to him a paralytic carried by four men. 4 And when they could not get near him because of the crowd, they removed the roof above him, and when they had made an opening, they let down the bed on which the paralytic lay. 5 And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” 6 Now some of the scribes were sitting there, questioning in their hearts, 7 “Why does this man speak like that? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?”
Mark 2:1–7

What is your greatest need? A need is something you must have, something you cannot live without. The paralytic no doubt needed his body restored. But was it his greatest need? His four friends certainly thought so. They tore through somebody’s roof to get their friend an audience with the one man who could heal him. Laying on his mat waiting for Jesus to speak, he expects to hear, "Rise and walk." Instead he hears, "Son, your sins are forgiven." 

We know Jesus heals him, but in the moment of pardon the paralytic didn’t know the story's ending. What went through his mind when Jesus told him he was forgiven? Did he think in desperation, "What about my legs!?" Was he disappointed or overjoyed? If he perceived his greatest need to be physical healing then that pardon must have felt like a let down. “Jesus, I need help now!”

Sin separates us from God just like the paralytic, but a lack of life's basic needs (food, water, shelter) do not. Disease cannot keep you from God, but sin can. And so Jesus heals the man, but only after he meets his greatest need–forgiveness. For what good is it if a man gains the whole world (has all his needs met) but loses his soul (neglects his greatest need)? 

What needs press into your soul? Bring them all to God in prayer and allow him to show you your greatest need and his provision for it through Jesus.