On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from you infirmity." Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue ruler said to the people, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."
The Lord answered him, You hypocrites! Doesn't each of you on the Sabbath unties his ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?"
When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
What would it be like to live for 18 years and not be able to sit up straight? How many sleepless nights and how much discomfort and pain? How could she cook and work for herself? How would it be to be permanently bowed down to others? How much humility did she have? Unlike some of the other times Jesus healed people, when the people came to Him begging or were brought by friends, Jesus saw her and called her forward in front of everyone. Just like He calls us to come to Him in front of the world for all to see. Put yourself in her place now, and see if this feels familiar.
Everyone sees you walk up hunched over. People you know, people from all over the region who are following Jesus, the synagogue rulers and law keepers, all watching you as you walk up to the One teaching. Judging you for how you look and for looking at Him. You walk up, heart pounding with embarrassment and shame, wanting to run away from all of their stares, but not willing to because of who called you forward. This wise and pure Man with His eyes fixed on you, eyes different from the other ones around you. So you walk forward to see what He wants with you. Then when you get up to Him He says, "You are set free from your infirmity." And He puts His hands on you and you are healed. You stand up straight for the first time in 18 long years. All of it is gone and you stand up in His presence and praise God in front of all the people. YOu praise Him for this feeling that can only be felt and never properly described.
The power and joy must have been so think in that room that it was tangible. What would it feel like to be there? Even this past paragraph could not properly describe what it would be like to be there with Jesus at this time. Because all it took was for Jesus to see her, and He had compassion on her and called her forward and healed her. But this healing was not just for her.
The synagogue ruler came and told the people that there were six days that they could work. If they wanted to be healed they should come and do it on one of those days, not on the Sabbath. If you were the woman who had lived bowed down to people for 18 years, your Joy would probably feel instantly threatened and you would be scared. Even though you were only there to hear Jesus, He was the One who called you forward and healed you. He did that, but you are the one in trouble. In the same way we gain the Joy of Freedom in Jesus Christ and then have the world around us say that what Jesus is turning us into is wrong and hates us for it. Anyone who left a bad lifestyle for a Christian lifestyle knows this well. But the words of the world fail to stand against the words of Him who save us.
Jesus answered the synagogue ruler's statement by calling him a hypocrite. Jesus questioned them asking whether or not they untied their oxen and donkeys to let them drink water on the Sabbath. The answer was a rhetoric yes. So then He asked if a daughter of Abraham should not be freed as well on the Sabbath. The difference, is so humiliatingly vast in this question. Should a donkey or ox that are animals who have only been thirsty for half a day be freed on the Sabbath to have relief and drink, but a woman who has suffered at the hands of Satan for 18 years not be set free? This question is so ridiculous when said out loud that it does not even need a second thought for an answer. When Jesus asked these questions, His opponents were humiliated. But the people were delighted with the wonderful things He was doing.
In the same way, we can be delighted by the wonderful things Jesus is always doing for and around us. He will always bring down the people who lift themselves up and cast down other people based on what they think is right. But for those who let themselves be humbled by God and bow down, Jesus will always call forward, and He will give them relief, freedom, forgiveness, He will raise them up, He will Love them, and He will give them strength to stand up in front of the world and praise Him.
No matter the infirmity and sin we have, when we go to see Him, He calls us forward in front of the world. And when we choose to not run away and come forward, He puts His hands on us and heals us. He frees us from everything. And then He gives us everything we could ever need: He gives us Himself. He stands up for us when we can't stand and He has us stand with Him when He brings our strength back. He is our God! He is our healer! He is Jesus Christ!
Thank You For Reading
Long Live Jesus Christ
Amen
Long Live Jesus Christ
Amen
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