Luke 13:10–17
Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath. 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. 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 she stood up straight and began praising God. 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.” 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? 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?” 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.
Reflection
Unless I miss something, I don't read that the woman even asked to be cured at that moment. But, Jesus, came to the woman and Jesus chose to set her free. Once Jesus set her free the woman stood up straight and praised God.
That's how God works it seems. God comes to us. We can't cure ourselves. We are in need of healing. God sees our need and comes to us with compassion and mercy and lays his hands on our lives. God may not even cure our bodies, but God does lay his hands on our lives and we stand up straight. We change our position. We praise God not necessarily for the curing, but more for his presence in our lives and his love and compassion. We now know that God loves us. Yes, even us crooked and bent over people like myself.
Bent over by age and bent over by sin and death and selfishness. I can't save myself. I need that touch of God in my life. I need God!
What a better day for God to come to us than on the sabbath. Why not? But the leader didn't understand, or he didn't want to acknowledge that Jesus was God. If God chooses to come to us and touch our lives, does the day or moment make any difference? I'll take the loving touch of God at any moment that God chooses to touch me. And it doesn't matter if I'm in a life or death situation. I long for God's touch. I long to reach out and touch God out of my own love and gratitude and faith in my Father, my Brother, my Spirit.
Finally, on top of it all, I along with so many other children of God will break out in praise and honor of God when we witness God's touch on the life of another person. I'm moved to joy at the baptism of another person. I'm moved to an "Amen!" at the witness of God's touch in the life of another person.
These emotions bring smiles and laughter into life. God loves us! God loves you and God loves me and God loves all that he created. God loves so much that he came in flesh and blood to touch. To touch through the hands of Jesus and save his people from the clutch of sin, death and the devil. God loves us and saves us.
"And the entire crowd was rejoicing at all the wonderful things that he was doing."
Prayer
Jesus touch me, my neighbor, my family and all people... touch your people as we touch another with your love and compassion through our new lives... today... tomorrow... and forever. --- Amen
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