Tag Archives: Straight

What God Gave Up for Lent – Day 16

16. Healing & Teaching

Woman healed

A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3d)

As we saw in yesterday’s teaching, the word grief was often translated as sickness and disease. And we noted that a significant part of Christ’s ministry was the healing of the sick.

A close associate with healing, is teaching. They move in unison throughout Christ’s ministry. And in this case (probably in most) the healing becomes the application for His teaching.

And He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And there was a woman who for eighteen years had had a sickness caused by a spirit; and she was bent double, and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, He called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your sickness. And He laid His hands on her; and immediately she was made erect again and began glorifying God. But the synagogue official, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, began saying to the crowd in response, “There are six days in which work should be done; so come during them and get healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” 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 stall and lead him away to water him? And this woman, a daughter of Abraham as she is, whom Satan has bound for eighteen long years, should she not have been released from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As He said this, all His opponents were being humiliated; and the entire crowd was rejoicing over all the glorious things being done by Him. (Luke 13:10-17)

For eighteen years a daughter of Abraham had been bound by Satan, bent over double. Did she attend synagogue every Sabbath? The fact the Jesus called her a daughter of Abraham indicates she was faithful to her God, and probably attended synagogue every time it was open. Where else would she find healing? But did she receive comfort there, or even attention? We can’t tell. But I suspect that all she received was their inattention. For eighteen years they ignored her. For eighteen years they probably offered nothing more than ingenuous ungracious greetings, and superficial, legalistic instruction.

So here’s Jesus, at a synagogue, in the midst of a really excellent teaching and this doubled-over woman catches His eye. He calls her over and pronounces her freed from her sickness. Her response is quite appropriate: she stood up straight and began glorifying God. How scandalous, that a woman should start praising God in the midst of synagogue.

We immediately see the hardness of the hearts found in the religious authorities. How dare you heal on the Sabbath! Yes you may teach, indeed even teach with authority never heard before, but don’t start healing, especially don’t heal a woman.

I’m pretty sure that it was not Christ’s goal to humiliate his adversaries. They did that quite handily themselves. Indeed, I believe that He would have eagerly healed them from their pride and arrogance, and even their hard hearts, if had they only asked.

The application is: Jesus sees us in all of our infirmities, sins, and brokenness. We all need healing. So let us be bold in our infirmities; let us acknowledge what He already knows and then be healed by Him. We would probably receive the same scorn that she did, for interrupting their religious service, but it will give you the opportunity to straighten up and glorify God.

One more thought about being made straight by Jesus. Are you straight? Or are you bent over with a load of sin? You were never intended to carry that load. Yes, it is yours. You certainly deserve it and have quite properly earned it. But it should not be carried by you. Christ has already taken that burden upon Himself at the cross. Now if He has already laid down His life for you, and left your sins in the grave, why aren’t you standing straight and glorifying God?

Singing with the King (61) – True & Trust

For the Word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything He does. (Psalm 33:4)

bible lampThere are two words in this verse which are either lost, or come at a premium, depending on your worldview. They are true and trust. And trust cannot exist without truth. So let’s tackle true first.

The Hebrew word for true is most often translated as right and upright. Now, it only makes sense the Word of God is true (right and upright) because God is true.

Into Your hand I commit my spirit; You have ransomed me, O LORD, God of truth. (Psalm 25:5)

But You, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness and truth. (Psalm 86:15)

This is not, however, an unknowable attribute. Why? First because He has given us His Word, and it can be learned:

Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day. (Psalm 25:5)

And it causes us to worship:

I will also praise You with a harp, even Your truth, O my God; to You I will sing praises with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel. (Psalm 71:22)

Sun on PlainsWhat does it mean that the Word of the Lord holds true? Some of the definitions of true are straight and level. God will go great lengths to speak to us: A voice is calling, “Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness; make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.   Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; and let the rough ground become a plain, and the rugged terrain a broad valley; then the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” (Isaiah 40:3-5) It should be noted these were the words quoted by John the Baptist as he began his ministry, soon to proclaim the coming of Christ. Things would be level, straight and plain; then glory of the Lord would be revealed—Jesus would be revealed.

Next comes the trust. We can trust Him because He is faithful:

Know therefore that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God, who keeps His covenant and His lovingkindness to a thousandth generation with those who love Him and keep His commandments. (Deuteronomy 7:9)

How blessed is the man who has made the LORD his trust, and has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood. (Psalm 40:4)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

Faithfulness is used often to describe God’s character and His acts. But faithfulness in Hebrew has a secondary translation: truth (also a character trait). We as a society have pretty much given up on truth. It has been relegated to a matter of personal preference and opinion. But are we willing to give up on faithfulness? With God it is both, as proclaimed in His character, His Word, and His acts. You cannot separate one from another. God is true. God is faithful. And because of that, you can trust everything He does.