Healing On The Sabbath

Luke 13:10-17 - Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. And a woman was there who for eighteen years had been crippled by a spirit; she was bent over, completely incapable of standing erect. When Jesus saw her, he called to her and said, “Woman you are set free of you infirmity.” He laid his hands on her, and she at once stood up straight and glorified God. But the leader of the synagogue, indignant that Jesus had cured on the Sabbath, said to the crowd in reply, “There are six days when work should be done. Come on those days to be cured, not on the Sabbath day.” The Lord said to him in reply, “Hypocrites! Does not each one of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his ass from the manger and lead it out for watering? This daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has bound for eighteen years now, ought she not have been set free on the Sabbath day from this bondage?” When he said this, all his adversaries were humiliated; and the whole crowd rejoiced at all the splendid deeds done by him.

Thoughts: Why did Jesus just heal her? With others He healed at their request. But with this woman, He called her out. I would imagine that during the time, while He was teaching, the woman surely did not escape his notice. How often to do we not notice people who are hurting all around us because they have been so for a long time and we are blinded to their condition? The woman in the story had debilitating issues to the point she was incapable of helping herself. Jesus is all-knowing and often knows our problems better than we do.

I was living with afflictions that I just assumed were a part of me. I had areas of sin in my life that I had been dealing with for so long, I just accepted it. When we have a spirit within us that is not of God, it can consume who we are like a cancer. I think the fact that the woman was in the synagogue shows that she was seeking a cure even if she did not know completely what was wrong with her. Also, the fact that she had been like this for eighteen years shows her commitment and hope in something greater.

As He did with me, Jesus chose this particular day to reach out and free her from her bondage and rid her of infirmity. Her response was immediate and purposeful. She glorified God with all of her being. She glorified Him without fear. When this saving power of God is experienced, we are immediately filled with the Holy Spirit and cannot help but glorify God. Just like the early disciples let us make haste to rejoice with all who are healed and brought to relationship with Jesus Christ.

Let us never cease to offer prayers for all who are suffering, including the many who do not appear to be suffering on the outside but on the inside are tormented by something they can’t quite put their hands on. Something that eludes there consciousness. They seek happiness but are unable to see the true joy that comes from Christ. Instead, they chase the road to happiness that is presented to them by the world. I pray that people would have the courage to seek the joy of the Lord and abandon the empty happiness that ultimately leads to destruction.