Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Discussing the Crippled Woman

For a long time when I read this woman's story, I zeroed in on the "healing on the Sabbath" issue. I saw this mainly as a story of the Pharisees in their never-ending quest to trap Jesus and discredit Him by proving that He had violated a religious law. And I saw Jesus on His never-ending quest to get people to see that His agenda was so much larger than just ensuring that we follow a list of rules.

The head of the synagogue where Jesus was teaching that Sabbath apparantly was outraged that Jesus healed someone on the day of rest. (But he doesn't think teaching is work? - I beg to differ!) Interestingly enough, he didn't (have the guts to?) confront Jesus over performing the healing. Instead, he tells the congregation, "There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath."

Jesus' response seems to ask, are religious leaders exempt from having mercy or compassion towards people on the Sabbath day? Freeing an ox from its yoke or from its pen is an appropriate way to spend the Sabbath, but freeing a person from their afflictions is not?

Once again, this man laid the burden of always following the rules, as he has interpreted them, on the people. You see, the Mosaic law did not forbid healing on the Sabbath, but the "Tradition of the Elders" did. But God is in their midst now showing them another way to live - a way that trusts in Him to do the right thing, even when it doesn't make sense to us or the Elders ... a way that brings deliverance, not oppression.

So, for a long time I read her story and yet nearly missed the woman. She seemed simply an object lesson to me for Jesus to use to set the religious rulers straight -- but of course a person is never just an object lesson to God.

Now, I notice the woman. I notice that despite her situation, her disability, she is in "church." She is continuing to press into God. She is not staying away in isolation. She is there to hear and obey Jesus' teaching. Jesus sees her in the crowd - no doubt knows every detail of her situation - and calls her over. If she said anything at this point, it goes unrecorded.

She follows Jesus' command to come to Him. And then He gives the command for her body to be healed. It is instantaneous. She stands up straight for the first time in 18 years. She feels the glorious release. At this point, her reaction is recorded - it says "how she praised and thanked God!"

I imagine she felt forever indebted to this Jesus for providing that deliverance. Daily she must've praised God for overcoming for her what she could not.

We too have been healed and delivered by Jesus when He died on the cross. When we call out to Him, or ask for forgiveness in Jesus' name, our souls straighten up. They regain the ability to walk unencumbered with God.

Hum, do I feel any indebtedness to Jesus for that today? How often do I feel grateful for that? That's where her story lead me this time around. How about you? What are your thoughts? Post them and let's talk about it.

*******


Girls, I'd like to ask you to pray for a friend of mine and his two young children. Dan and his wife Angie were in a tragic car accident this past weekend - Angie did not survive. I can honestly say this man loved his wife, through thick and thin. So too, of course, do her two elementary school-aged children. Please pray for Dan, and Brendon and Alyssa. Pray for God's comfort to envelop them. Pray for God's wisdom to guide them. Pray for their hearts to be guarded from any bitterness. Pray for their souls to be lifted up, and for them to walk through this exceedingly difficult time with Jesus. Post your prayers if you wish, but please do pause and pray.
Thanks, friends.

18 comments:

  1. Hi sis,
    Thank you so much for giving me opportunity to share my thoughts ;

    The moment crippled woman was healed she praised God.She knows who is the healer.I feel that every one is crippled spiritually without Holy Spirit. No one can heal us completely except Jesus Christ .When we are healed spiritually healed the rest of my body and mind are also healed.
    20 years ago when my daughter was taken away, I was healed spiritually and I could praise God.
    I am saved to save, I am so grateful to Jesus.
    Jesus said "the son of man is the Lord of Sabath(Luke 6:5). I should grab the opportunity to preach His words.I think the crippled woman would preach about Jesus, no one can stop her.
    I am praying for Dan and his beloved children. I am praying for you too and give thanks to God for blessing me with wonderful person like you.

    God bless
    Muani

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  2. Hi sis,
    Thank you so much for giving me opportunity to share my thoughts ;

    The moment crippled woman was healed she praised God.She knows who is the healer.I feel that every one is crippled spiritually without Holy Spirit. No one can heal us completely except Jesus Christ .When we are healed spiritually healed the rest of my body and mind are also healed.
    20 years ago when my daughter was taken away, I was healed spiritually and I could praise God.
    I am saved to save, I am so grateful to Jesus.
    Jesus said "the son of man is the Lord of Sabath(Luke 6:5). I should grab the opportunity to preach His words.I think the crippled woman would preach about Jesus, no one can stop her.
    I am praying for Dan and his beloved children. I am praying for you too and give thanks to God for blessing me with wonderful person like you.

    God bless
    Muani

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi sis,
    Thank you so much for giving me opportunity to share my thoughts ;

    The moment crippled woman was healed she praised God.She knows who is the healer.I feel that every one is crippled spiritually without Holy Spirit. No one can heal us completely except Jesus Christ .When we are healed spiritually healed the rest of my body and mind are also healed.
    20 years ago when my daughter was taken away, I was healed spiritually and I could praise God.
    I am saved to save, I am so grateful to Jesus.
    Jesus said "the son of man is the Lord of Sabath(Luke 6:5). I should grab the opportunity to preach His words.I think the crippled woman would preach about Jesus, no one can stop her.
    I am praying for Dan and his beloved children. I am praying for you too and give thanks to God for blessing me with wonderful person like you.

    God bless
    Muani

    ReplyDelete
  4. I, too used to only focus on the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders but I now realize how crippled we all are and how much we need to be saved. I am thankful that no matter how often I fall, my saviour is there to pick me up as long as I continue to seek Him.
    My thoughts and prayers are with your friends.
    G

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  5. Hi Rachel:
    The crippled woman was in the church and Jesus saw her, Jesus called her to him...in other scripture we read that roofs were torn apart to get to him...we read about people who have raised their voice to capture his attention, touch his hem...but this time Jesus saw her...when no one else sees us we know that Jesus see's, when no one else is extending an invitation Jesus invites us, he calls us to him...
    Rachel I am praying for your friends.
    In His Love,
    Debrah

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  6. I'm intrigued by the crippled woman, perhaps because I am considered handicapped myself (I'm deaf.)

    She was in church... did they allow her to serve in the Body, or did they see her as a benevolent case? Did she even reconize her worth? I have to admit I don't see my deafness as shame, but I also didn't see it as something of worth. Yet God has used my deafness to glorify Himself! How much I would have missed if I had considered myself exempt from serving because of my disability... and believe me, God has done some amazing things in and through me! Yes, God can heal me - but He would rather use me just as I am to glorify Himself!

    How easy it is to use our "defects" as an excuse to say, "No." "I'm not good enough. I'm not spiritual enough. I can't hear. I can't teach. I'm not... I can't... "
    When Jesus called the crippled woman she didn't give excuses, she said,"Not sure why You want me, but here I am." Wow, was she about to be amazed!

    Still amazed -
    Susan

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  7. Thank you for focusing on the woman's heart and her response. It reminds of today's breakfast devotion verse for my cherubs: "Come near to God and He will come near to you." James 4:6

    You are right. She was there...in God's sanctuary, coming near to Him. Wow...and how He came near to her! Amazing! And she praised Him. Whew!

    May we always draw, come and stay near to Him, regardless of our struggles and what might tempt to keep us away.

    Praying for Dan and his children. May God show them His faithfulness, love and provision in every detail of their hearts.

    Thanks, Rachel.

    Warm blessings,
    Sharon

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  8. Father God in the Name of the All Powerful Jesus Christ we place in Your loving care Dan, Brendon and Alyssa. Pour out Your unfailing love upon them Father God, envelop them in Your comfort, give them wisdom to guide them and guard their hearts from all bitterness, Father God lift up their souls and help them Lord to walk through this difficult time with Jesus. Father God cover them in the days ahead, be with them until all pain has been washed away by Your loving care. Gently guide them unto your peace which surpasses all understanding. Lord we thank You and praise You for being there for Dan, Brendon and Alyssa. In the Mighty Name of Jesus we pray.

    The crippled Woman took me to the knowledge that when we stand in need we need to press our way to the Church House and get in the Presence of God. Jesus sees our circumstances and knows all about our situations. This Daughter of Abraham, this good woman knew what God had done for Abraham and she knew that same power was available to her. I believe she had faith, putting her hope in God. She didn’t know when God would heal her, she didn’t know when she pressed her way to the Temple that day she would be healed, but she knew there was a “Word” there. A word she could take with her until God chose to heal her, how blessed she was that day when she like many others encountered the Savior. She responded when Jesus called, and she immediately begins to praise God when she received her healing. We should be as fast in lifting our thanks and praise to heaven. This woman under the cover of working on the Sabbath has much more than has been gleamed in the paragraph to teach us.

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  9. There are several things I picked up from Luke 13:10-17!

    Even though the woman had probably prayed for healing throughout those 18 years - that day - the woman didn't say anything to Jesus. She didn't have to. This encourages me to help people who need it - sometimes before they have to ask. If I recognize a need - I should help to fill it.

    Isn't it amazing how distracted the leader was? Jesus had just performed a mighty miracle of healing right before his eyes - but he was caught up in the law? Sometimes I see the hand of God move and heal - yet I find myself still distracted by doubts or questions. I need to be still and praise God for the good and awesome things he still does today.

    And I love how Jesus spoke with such authority as he replied to the religious leaders' protest.

    I am praying for Dan and his sweet children. Oh Lord, be so near to them.

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  10. I am praying for your friends.
    God please be with this family. Bless them with peace and comfort.

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  11. Luke 13:12
    When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.”

    I have been diagnosed with clinical depression for almost 5 years. Much of that depression had started out as many years of abuse followed by more years of hiding the shame and disgrace of what I had experienced as a child. I also recognize that there are physical aspects of depression that some people have and just can’t help it. It is in their DNA. That would be me as well.

    Like the crippled lady, I have been crippled by 15 years or so of lies that others made me believe as well as lies I told myself. I was bent over and hung my head in shame. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried I could never conquer my feelings of hurt, anger, shame, disgrace and helplessness.

    Jesus saw me and called to me. Through a series of events, Jesus placed friends in my life to help lift me up and help me to the goal of overcoming this dark time in my life. He set me free from all of my shame and guilt. He loved me no matter the conditions of my heart. Jesus placed a hand on my heart. I wish I could say that I am completely healed, but I am much further along now that God is beside me.

    Like this lady, once I started to heal I was able to focus on praising God. I was able to not dwell on the things of the past. Most importantly, I became a new creation. I became someone who can hold her head high because my Heavenly Father has helped me to see who I really was in Him. He turned my ashes to something beautiful and I give him all the glory.

    When I first read this story, I too thought of teaching on the Sabbath. But reading it again I totally see what God has done to heal the crippled lady and myself. God is so good!

    Many Blessings,

    Amy

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  12. Thanks Rachel
    For starting again with a new row of lady's,i was looking forward to it.
    I prayed that God will comfort this family in their grief and that they would cling to Him who Isaiah wrote about in 51 vers 12 " I,even I, am He who comforts you.....
    Pray for you also Rachel

    This time around i watched "The crippeled woman" more closely"
    She was in church 18 years and bound....going to "church" could not release her......
    I realized the same is today......if going to church becomes a automatism (obligation) or out of tradition or only to socialize....
    Jesus will look than to me(us) as crippled.....
    I see this like to totally receiving HIS Spiritual blessing to us.......To life out of spirit( out of Him) to pruduce fruits( not bad fruits).
    He wants an relationship He want to put His hand ( blessing) on me!! To make the "elders" understand He said why are you loosing a donkey on the sabbat.....
    Not even 2 days ago i saw a teaching of a pastor on tv ( I believe monday night) And He talked about the story that Jesus send His diciples to a place were a donkey must be.Who they MUST loose and bring to Him...This donkey carried Him to Jerusalem( I think this was the story going to palmsunday...)The donkey must be loosed......and brought to Jesus than we will experience what we never experience before........( drinking of the LIVING WATER)
    The more i think about it the more i see in this story
    I'm so blessed.

    Bernice

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  13. I will be praying for your friend. Hopefully, I'll get a chance to post my thoughts soon.

    Amy

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  14. I am praying for Dan and the children, this is a sad,sad moment.
    It hasn't even been a year yet for my brother so it's still fresh for me as well.
    I can only imagine what he may be going through.

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  15. Hi
    I think I only focused on the accusations of Jesus too. Keeping our focus on God and never waivering is the battle. Thanks for the new look. I am praying for your friends, that they will allow God to comfort them.
    Blessings,
    Lynn

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  16. Ladies your wisdom and teaching amazes me! I have read this verse many times and yet God showed me insights through your words to teach me and lead me. Rachel, thank you so much for starting the bible study again, may God continue to bless you and your writing. I pray for Dan and his children, may God help them get through their loss. Carla

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  17. Rachel,
    I have only read your site twice, however,I have been touched by the Holy Spirit each time.
    I write in support for your friend Dan who has lost his best friend, Angie...for the children who will not be able to comprehend the insurmountable loss of their mother and their role model.
    I have lost a child at 40 weeks during my delivery...it has been 5 years.I know from experience.... Allow Dan and his children to be angry at God because God is big enough to handle it. I pray for their healing, but more importantly I pray that their ears will be covered and their hearts will be protected by all the well meaning Christians who will try to make it all better by saying careless things. Hold them, pray for them and allow them permission to feel what they feel.
    My heart is shattered for them.
    A friend of the King,
    Y

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  18. If we would all just respond as the woman did and go forward to Jesus we too would be healed. 1 1/2 years
    ago I was healed of a growth that had not yet been diagnosed during a time of corporate prayer at church.
    I heard Jesus calling me that night but did not realize he was going to heal me. What joy to discover I was healed. Praise God. Just go forward when He calls.

    I put Dan and his children in the hands of the Lord. He will be their source of comfort and care.

    Janet, Latrobe, PA

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