Day 30 | Bringing the Gospel to Hard Places

Scripture: Mark 2:3-5, 10-11

Devotion

“There’s just no way.”

Picture the scene in Mark 2: a packed house, people spilling out the doorways, no space to even squeeze through—and four friends desperate to get their paralyzed companion to Jesus.

They could have turned back. They could have waited for a “better time.” They could have said, “Well, we tried.” But love for their friend and faith in Jesus drove them to think differently. When the door wasn’t an option, they looked up and saw possibility where others saw only obstacles.

This wasn’t just creative problem-solving—it was faith in action. These men believed so strongly in Jesus’s power to heal that they were willing to climb a house, dig through a roof, and lower their friend down through the ceiling! Their innovative approach wasn’t about being clever; it was about being completely committed to bringing someone to Jesus.

Think about the people in your life who seem hard to reach with the gospel. Maybe traditional approaches aren’t working. Maybe cultural barriers feel insurmountable. Maybe busy schedules or different worldviews seem like solid walls. But what if those “walls” could become doors? What if those very obstacles could become opportunities for creative gospel conversations?

A Personal Prayer

  • Thank God for how He intentionally innovated a way for us to be with Him eternally. Ask Him to help you identify your time, treasures, and talents, and pray for insight on how to move the ordinary into the extraordinary for His glory.

Pray for Our Community: FrankTown Open Hearts

  • FrankTown Open Hearts in Franklin, TN, is a ministry dedicated to inspiring, empowering, and equipping at-risk youth in Williamson County. Through academic support, mentoring, and spiritual growth programs, FrankTown brings hope and essential life skills to low-income youth, helping them grow into confident, fulfilled adults.
  • Pray for the youth served by FrankTown, that they would find hope, purpose, and empowerment through the programs offered.
  • Ask God to provide wisdom, strength, and compassion to the staff and mentors as they guide young people toward positive futures and deeper faith.
  • Pray for safety and well-being for all students, that God would protect them physically and emotionally during transportation and activities.

Prayer for the Nations: Global Workers, Johnny & Anna

  • Johnny and Anna serve as language teachers in a closed Muslim nation, working with a church planting team in a city without Christian gatherings. Their mission involves teaching, loving their neighbors, praying, and sharing the gospel to make disciples.
  • Pray for the hearts of the local people to be prepared to receive the gospel, opening them to dreams, questions, and a longing for a relationship with God.
  • Ask God to provide fellowship for isolated believers, helping them grow in their faith despite the challenges of being in a community with few known Christians.

**Note, names have been changed for safety.