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Our Daily Bread Ministries February 28 Bible in a Year: Numbers 20-22; Mark 7:1-13 Faith of Friends They made an opening in the roof above Jesus . . . and then lowered the mat the man was lying on. Mark 2:4 READ Mark 2:1-5 Attending a conference, a woman noticed that her friend—the day’s presenter—didn’t look well. She approached the presenter, who replied, “I’m going to get through this presentation. If I don’t feel better in the morning, I’ll go to the doctor.” The woman didn’t forget about the presenter’s promise. This friend had to leave early, but she asked another friend to check on the presenter. In the morning, there was a knock at the presenter’s hotel door. The second friend had come to drive her to the hospital. There was no backing out, and—fortunately—she was given life-saving treatments in time. The persistence of friends had evidently helped to save her life. Persistent friends can be a blessing, just like the men in Mark 2. They’d apparently heard about the healing power of Jesus and that He’d come to their town (v. 1). The people clambered to Christ, and there was “no room left” for the men to get their paralyzed friend to Him (v. 2). They didn’t let a crowd stop them from getting their friend the help he needed, however: “They made an opening in the roof above Jesus by digging through it and then lowered . . . the man” (v. 4) to Christ who healed him (vv. 11-12). Let’s bring the needs of others to Jesus through persistent prayer. And as He provides what we need, let’s strive to help and love them well. By Katara Patton REFLECT & PRAY How has the faith and persistence of friends helped you? What can you do to help someone today? Healing God, thank You for persistent and faith-filled friends. Please help me to persistently lift others to You. Amen.