DAILY BREAD READING (Published Daily by Our Daily Bread Ministries)
February 28, 2026
READ:
Mark 2 (Focus 1-5)
MEMORY VERSE
“They made an opening in the roof above Jesus . . . and then lowered the mat the man was lying on.” Mark 2:4
BACKGROUND
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.
Katara Patton
INSIGHT
The men who brought the paralytic man to Jesus for healing were persistent and had gone to a lot of work—carrying him, digging up the roof tiles, and lowering him into the room where Christ was found.
So imagine their reaction when Jesus instead granted him forgiveness of sins (Mark 2:1-5). After His authority to forgive sins was questioned by the religious leaders (vv. 6-7), He used the verifiable act of healing the man as proof of the unseen and impossible-to-verify authority to forgive sins (vv. 8-12).
As the men in Mark 2 had confidence in Christ’s ability to heal, we too can have confidence that when we come to God in prayer—with the needs of others or our own needs—He’ll hear us and provide what we need.
Bill Crowder
APPLICATION
How has the faith and persistence of friends helped you? What can you do to help someone today?
PR’s (Pastor Richard) RE-EMPHASIS (From Today’s Post)
“…We…can have confidence that when we come to God in prayer—with the needs of others or our own needs—He’ll hear us and provide what we need.”
PR’s TAKE
“The greatest gifts we can give to each other is to pray for one another.” Therandomvibez
“Each of you should be concerned not only about your own interests, but the interests of others as well.” Philippians 2:4
“The passionate, sincere and persistent prayers from a person justified by God have great power and produce significant results.” GotQuestions.org
PRAYER
“Healing God, thank You for persistent and faith-filled friends. Please help me to persistently lift others to You.”
TODAY’S HYMN/WORSHIP/PRAISE/GOSPEL SONG
“PASS ME NOT O GENTLE SAVIOR”
Pass me not, O gentle Savior,
hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
Let me at Thy throne of mercy
Find a sweet relief,
Kneeling there in deep contrition;
Help my unbelief.
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry…
Trusting only in Thy merit,
Would I seek Thy face;
Heal my wounded, broken spirit,
Save me by Thy grace.
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry…
Thou, the Spring of all my comfort,
More than life to me;
Whom have I on earth beside Thee?
Whom in heav’n but Thee?
Savior, Savior, hear my humble cry;
While on others Thou art calling,
Do not pass me by.
