Image from pemptousia.com
Hear Here! http://bit.ly/2Zg9yO2
10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 11 And just then there appeared a woman with a spirit that had crippled her for eighteen years. She was bent over and was quite unable to stand up straight. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.” 13 When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God. 14 But the leader of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had cured on the sabbath, kept saying to the crowd, “There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” 15 But the Lord answered him and said, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger, and lead it away to give it water? 16 And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen long years, be set free from this bondage on the sabbath day?” 17 When he said this, all his opponents were put to shame; and the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing. (Luke 13:10-17 NRSV)
Happy and Wonderful Monday to you and yours, dear Friend! I pray this weekend was a blessing and a blast for you as it was for Nellie, my family and me. Saturday saw our family grow by one, as we welcomed Jesse Muñoz as our third son-in-law. He and Caitlin and her son, Liam, will continue to live in Houston and we pray God's blessings on them as they start this new life together. Please pray for one another, and pray for yourselves.
What attitude did you take to worship yesterday? Were you expecting things to be the same with worship? Familiar hymns or praise songs, same faces, at least one corny joke to share at work today? Or, did a healing take place in you or someone you know? Have healings become something that only happens in the hospital or doctor's offices? Or at home after some rest, medications, and treatment? Imagine having to live life like this woman in the story. For eighteen years she was unable to stand up straight. That is still common in both men and women, and early exams and treatment can prevent that from being a permanent condition. In Jesus' day, it was a life sentence. She must have heard plenty of snickers or comments, especially from children seeing her for the first time. Yet, we give her this one thing; it didn't stop her from going to church! And it was on a day that Jesus was teaching in her synagogue. Remember, for the Jews, the synagogue was an important place because it was there that God and earth met, and for the Jew anything could happen in that sacred setting. And on this worship day, the day for the Jews when no work could be done, Jesus worked a miracle in her life. He brought healing to her. This released her from her physical bondage, and she began to praise God in gratitude for this which she never thought would be removed from her. The joy of the woman was not shared by the leader of the synagogue, for he knew to keep things correct and right, and to have work done in the worship space on a worship day was not allowed. He took over the sermon and made it a critical one, "There are six days on which work ought to be done; come on those days and be cured, and not on the sabbath day." Had he forgotten that she had come on the sabbath day for 18 years and nothing happened? Order was kept and this leader was happy, but now that God had chosen to heal her, he's not happy?
Jesus claimed the sermon back and addressed him and the crowd with a truth and a reality. There is always work being done in your homes on the sabbath day, and here a daughter of Abraham has been set free from the bondage of Satan; one that she suffered for 18 years; can't we accept and celebrate this, even on the sabbath day?
Jesus knew that God can act on any day that He chooses. It could be a Sunday or a Saturday, but if it's a Wednesday and healing happens, praise God! Don't be a calendar clown! Don't be a This Way or No Way wimp! Worship is all about God and what God chooses to do. Our way is to be open and receptive to whatever it is that God may choose to do for us or for one of us. It may not be something you see right away, but a fellow worshiper may say, "I don't hate certain people like I used to! God opened my eyes and my heart!" A certain sea captain was in worship in London as John Wesley preached against slavery and he was converted. On his way home he wrote a certain hymn that you and I love. A little hymn called Amazing Grace. An inward change that came because God chose to heal him from his sins. No longer did he see Africans as property; he saw them as God's children. No longer would he sell or transport people as property. He renounced it. Praise be to God!
Friend, what about you? What needs do you have that only God can change? I pray you would be open to healing even now that only God can bring. Let God set you free, and then give God the praise!
PRAYER: Loving God, open my heart, mind, and spirit to what You can do when I worship. I know it can be any day, and Father, if it is today, let it be. Set me free to serve You even more. This I pray in Christ Jesus' strong name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord! Set yourself free today to be made whole by God - and tell that story to someone today!
Blessings of love,
Pastor Eradio Valverde
Bless this ministry at paypal.me/eradiovalverde as you are so led.
