Greetings to you in the name of the one who promises to be the Way, the Truth, and the Life: Jesus Christ – THE Risen Savior! What a beautiful morning in the Kingdom and it is our delight to proclaim that “this is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!” I trust that you enjoying these sunny summer days and what a beautiful sunrise this morning – such texture in the clouds and enhanced by a brilliant blend of colors. God sure is the Master Artist and Designer. This morning I will be praying for you, asking Father to draw your attention to His design within your life…and how He never seems to be finished, obviously we are a work in progress…remembering the promise that He who began a good work in us will bring it to completion at that Grand Moment.
This morning I am drawn to a few verses of Scripture: One Sabbath day, while Jesus was teaching in the synagogue, he encountered a seriously handicapped woman. She was crippled and had been doubled over for eighteen years. Her condition was caused by a demonic spirit of bondage that had left her unable to stand up straight. — When Jesus saw her condition, he called her over and gently laid his hands on her. Then he said, “Dear woman, you are free. I release you forever from this crippling spirit.” Instantly she stood straight and tall and overflowed with glorious praise to God! Luke 13:10-13 (TPT).
Now, there is a lot going on in these four verses: the woman was not “sick” but handicapped…the handicap was a result of a demonic spirit of bondage…she did not ask for help, maybe she thought after eighteen years there was no point…Jesus initiated this moment as he calls her to himself…Jesus doesn’t analyze or judge or engage in any dialogue…he gently lays his hands on her…he doesn’t “heal” her, he sets her free…not for the moment, not to make a show of it – but “forever”…there was an immediate response – ‘straight and tall’ with an overflow of praise to God.
I wonder if we forget that we have an enemy who loves to tie us in knots…to handicap us, to steal our well-being and kill our hopes and destroy our faith. I wonder if we spend time praying for healing from ‘sickness’ when we should be asking to be released from ‘handicaps’. I wonder if there have been times when Jesus calls us to himself but we don’t respond. I wonder if after ‘eighteen years’ or whatever length of time we have been in bondage to our unbelief that we don’t even ask anymore. I wonder what ‘miracle’ Jesus is waiting to perform in someone’s life today…after all, Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever, after all what God has done in the past, He can still do today. I wonder…
Something to ponder…