Daily Devotion

 

This is the last time we ever hear of Jesus being in a synagogue. By this time, the authorities were watching His every action, and waiting to pounce on Him whenever they had a chance. Jesus healed a woman who for eighteen years had not been able to straighten her bent body; then the president of the synagogue intervened. He didn't have the courage to speak directly to Jesus. He addressed his protest to the watching people, although it was meant for Jesus. Jesus healed on the Sabbath; technically healing was work so He had broken the Sabbath. However, He answered His opponents out of their own law. Jesus demanded, "If you can loose a beast from a stall, and water it on the Sabbath day, surely it is right in the sight of God to loose this poor woman from her infirmity."

 

(1^st) the president of the synagogue and those like him loved systems more than people. One of the great problems of a developed civilization is the relationship of the individual to the system. In Christianity, the individual comes before the system. Christianity guarantees and defends the value of the ordinary, Individual.

 

(2^nd) Jesus' action in this matter makes it clear that it is not God's will that any human being should suffer. The Jewish Law was that it was perfectly legal to help someone on the Sabbath who was in actual danger of his life. If Jesus had postponed the healing of this woman until the next day no one could have criticized him; but He insisted that suffering must not be allowed to continue until tomorrow if it could be helped today. Over, and over again in life some good, and kindly scheme is held up until this, or that is settled, or that technical detail is worked out. The Latin proverb has it, "No helpful deed that we can do today should be postponed until tomorrow."

Life Application: What have you learned from Jesus in this scripture? Jesus has so many ways to teach us how to be like Him, and this is one of them.

 

Praise/Prayer: Thank You, Jesus, for the Godly teaching You have demonstrated in Scripture for us. There is so much for us to learn so that we live the way You want us to live to please our Father, God. By Your coming to earth, You demonstrated to us the Love of God for humanity.  You healed people, comforted others, fed the hungry, and always showed us Your love. Amen!