Tuesday 29 May 2012
- Bible Book:
- Luke
"When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, 'Woman, you are set free from your ailment.' When he laid his hands on her, immediately stood up straight and began praising God." (v. 12-13)
Background
In today's passage, Jesus encounters an opportunity that waseighteen years in the making and opposition from an unlikelyquarter: the religious leaders.
At this point in his life, Jesus' ability to teach in thesynagogue was no longer making the headlines; it was almostexpected. So if you had been fortunate or minded to have turned upon this particular Sabbath, you would have found him doing what hedid best; teaching with awareness. He was conscious of his purposeand time-limited opportunity, but also an acutely aware of thosegathered.
Amongst the crowd was a woman whose illness prevented her fromstanding up straight. We don't know her name or if she had been tothe synagogue before, whether she arrived late or had made a scene.But we do know that on this particular day Jesus noticed her,recognised the opportunity and seamlessly broke off from the 'settext' to respond her need for wholeness. Jesus called out to her,and you could say that that call was the beginning of her healing,because the text says that Jesus laid his hands on her and shestood up immediately (verses 12-13).
Can you imagine her relief? She could barely contain hergratitude, but that euphoric moment was almost short-lived as at-crossing and i-dotting religious leader proceeded to paraphrasethe Torah (the Jewish law) about the Sabbath (verse 14). What didJesus do? Times for his silence would come, but this was one ofthose occasions when Jesus did answer, not with disrespect but withdirectness (verses 15-16). His answer provided clarification andcelebration, and was a stark reminder of the freedom that humanitywas created for, but which the law in itself would notachieve.
Jesus risked being thrown out of the synagogue for anti-Sabbathbehaviour, but for this woman it would have been worth it!
To Ponder
What opportunities are there for you to call outto someone who is experiencing difficult?
Jesus did good in the face of opposition. Whatlessons can you learn from his example?
How do you celebrate what God has done and isdoing?