Expect to be touched by God!

 

WED Evening Prayer Reflection 110420 (Luke 13:10-17)

What word would the Bible have for me and my situation? This must have been in the mind of this woman coming to hear the word from God in the Synagogue. She shuffled her way in because she needed an answer. Her story is now famous. I can see great merit in going to God with an expectation to be healed/ an expectation to be touched by God. Her condition was such that none could have helped, or that her healing was thought to be impossible since she was crippled by an evil spirit. The nature of her condition had its origin in the spiritual realm, which goes to show that there are so many ailments in the world that have this same origin. It is a condition that had robed her of her human dignity, as permanently bent over and unable to straighten up.

Two things to consider: One point of view is seeing a physical condition of being crippled, and another view is to see much deeper, a spiritual condition of a person who is unable to walk confidently upright. David Gooding explains in his commentary that we; humans are created to have dominion over all other creatures, yet this condition of being bent over, is the physical posture of a burden bearer or a slave under a yoke. But Jesus said that her condition was a bondage induced by Satan whose malevolence always seek to rob people of their dominion and dignity. So, we may not have a physical condition of being bent over like her, but all of us may find ourselves bent and bowed by weaknesses of one kind or another with no strength to free ourselves. It is hard to put ourselves in her shoes. Society may have viewed her or treated her as the weak link, who knows what it did to her confidence. Only Jesus could see all that pain she had been carrying inside her.

I can imagine the scenario: The ruler of the Synagogue was a pharisee. He would have told her that if ever God would be willing to set her free to stand up straight would not be today: this was the Sabbath. It would not be glorifying God for her to be set free on Sabbath. But before he had the chance to finish, some arms stretched out and laid hands on her and a voice said: “Woman, you are released from your weakness” and immediately she stood up straight and praised God. The Synagogue ruler tried to lecture people on the wrongs of coming to be healed on the sabbath, but Christ exposed the hypocrisy and silenced him. This is what Jesus 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? 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?’

What’s more important here? The act of mercy towards your animal or the act of mercy towards a human being? Jesus was bringing the Kingdom of God amongst us, he showed love and mercy. He saw the need, and he was aware that the law of Sabbath in question was made to serve man not the other way around. God is love and we are the objects of his love. Could it be that the ruler of the Synagogue was a bit insensitive to the need of this woman? Perhaps a lack of faith as well? Healing was not part of what he felt he could give. There may be people God placed on our path, who are seriously struggling and bent over by random circumstances in life. This woman had this condition for 18 years! May we stop at times and think, perhaps put ourselves in someone else shoes… try to understand. Bring the Kingdom of God wherever you find yourself! Always bring love and joy in the picture whereas the enemy seek to bring confusion and fear.

It is not someone’s fault that they were born with a condition or developed a condition of which they were not responsible, what is our response as Christian believers? Jesus marched ahead of us with a clear example: He was involved! He touched, He healed and He loved with mercy and compassion. We are called to do the same.