"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Thursday, 18 August 2016 with Scripture Luke 13:10-17

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Thursday, 18 August 2016 with Scripture Luke 13:10-17

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.[Complete Jewish Bible
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There is no word in Luke's gospel about what exactly afflicted the woman crippled for eighteen years. It might have been a serious back problem. Or it might have been a burden of grief, guilt or shame that made her "quite unable to stand up straight" for so long.
Years ago I volunteered at an addiction recovery center. My role was to listen to persons share their Fifth Step. The Fifth Step in the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous is for a person to "admit to God, ourselves and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs." I remember meeting one young man who came to our meeting literally bent over with the weight of his past. His posture changed as he gradually unburdened himself of his misdeeds. He walked out of our conversation standing tall. Jesus' healing power mends bodies, minds and spirits. Thanks be to God!
Mender of bodies, minds and spirits, pour out your healing power today upon those who are bent over by illness, injury, shame, or sorrow. Raise them up to new life. Amen.
Jeffrey Eisele, '16
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, Sioux Falls, S.D. 
Luke 13:10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues on the sabbath.
11 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.
12 When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Woman, you are set free from your ailment."
13 When he laid his hands on her, immediately she stood up straight and began praising God.
14 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."
15 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?
16 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?"
17 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.[New Revised Standard Version]
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