Finding Bethlehem in the Midst of Bedlam
GET THE DEVOTIONAL
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Read Luke 13:
10 Yeshua was teaching in one of the synagogues on Shabbat. 11 A woman came up who had a spirit which had crippled her for eighteen years; she was bent double and unable to stand erect at all. 12 On seeing her, Yeshua called her and said to her, “Lady, you have been set free from your weakness!” 13 He put his hands on her, and at once she stood upright and began to glorify God.
14 But the president of the synagogue, indignant that Yeshua had healed on Shabbat, spoke up and said to the congregation, “There are six days in the week for working; so come during those days to be healed, not on Shabbat!” 15 However, the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Each one of you on Shabbat — don’t you unloose your ox or your donkey from the stall and lead him off to drink? 16 This woman is a daughter of Avraham, and the Adversary kept her tied up for eighteen years! Shouldn’t she be freed from this bondage on Shabbat?” 17 By these words, Yeshua put to shame the people who opposed him; but the rest of the crowd were happy about all the wonderful things that were taking place through him.
.Luke 13:10-17 describes the healing of a woman; however, the story is much more than a simple healing narrative. It contains a challenge to a leader of the synagogue to prioritize human need over and above regulations for religious life. The woman has suffered an ailment that has kept her in a bent-over position for eighteen years. She does not ask to be healed. Jesus sees her; and even though it is the sabbath, he tells her, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment." He lays hands on her and heals her. She stands up straight and praises God.
The synagogue leader, rather than rejoicing for the restoration of wholeness and dignity to the woman, chastises Jesus for doing the work of healing on the sabbath. Jesus answers the leader with a graphic challenge. On the sabbath, any of those present would untie their oxen and donkeys from the feeding trough in order to take them to drink water. The woman, a daughter of Abraham, deserves to be set free, to be shown the same care and compassion as is shown to the animals. His statement to the crowd restores dignity to the woman, just as the healing restored her to wholeness and led her to praise God. It reminds all of us that we can be bound up and that we may need to be set free from attitudes that prevent us from showing compassion to others.
God of life and hope, we thank you for the gift of freedom in Jesus Christ. Help us to claim it every day so that others may find Bethlehem and realize they are also free from the prisons of their lives. In Christ we pray. Amen.!
The United Methodist Communications
810 12th Avenue South
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4704 United States
inminfo@umcom.org
inminfo@umcom.org
Phone: 615.742.5400
---------------------
---------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment