Before He said the words,
before I was lowered through the roof,
before I became sick and paralyzed,
before my first transgression,
before I was even born,
I was loved.
I was forgiven.

Before I picked up my mat
and walked,
I was whole.
I was enough.
I didn’t need to be healed
to be accepted, valued, and loved by God.

Before Jesus said a word,
He looked at me
with such love 
that I felt complete,
perfectly aligned
with all that is.
I knew I was.

Before I met Jesus
I couldn’t walk,
and now I can.
People labelled me a sinner,
and now they don’t.

There was before and after.

But with
forgiveness,
love,
and wholeness,
there is no before or after.
There is only 
always. 

The time will come when all the earth is filled, as the waters fill the sea,
with an awareness of the glory of the Lord. –Habakkuk 2:14 (TLB)

Credits and References:
Jesus Heals the Paralyzed Man by Harold Copping, 1910. Mark 2:1-12
Always by Esther Hizsa, 2024
Hawaii by Stanley Zimny. Used by permission.

© Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim, 2024.
The unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without permission from Esther Hizsa is prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used provided there is a link to the original content and credit is given as follows: © Esther Hizsa, An Everyday Pilgrim 2013-2024.  http://www.estherhizsa.com