Dave's Diary

Prayer

Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your sense of anticipation that God is about to speak to you through His Word. Then, before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 119:66-68:

Lord, teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I trust your commands.
I long to obey You, for You are good
and all You do is good.
Teach me Your decrees, and help me to obey.
Amen.

Reading

Luke 13:10-17

At the synagogue that Sabbath day, Jesus saw a woman who had been crippled (and most likely in pain) for eighteen long years. Imagine eighteen years of being unable to sit or stand or walk or even lie down comfortably. She had no anti-inflammatories to ease her discomfort or painkillers to dull the aches. Everywhere she went, her condition defined her, and most likely she was seldom able to accomplish everything she wished she could. Her condition must have been overwhelming.

Jesus knew full well where He was. he knew that He was being watched by the legalistic religious leaders of His day. He knew that their interpretation of the Law would exclude healing this woman on the Sabbath because they would define this as work. Surely the thought must also have occurred to Him that after eighteen years, one more day of suffering would not matter all that much, and that if he just waited until the next day He would not run into trouble from His opponents.

But Jesus refused to take her suffering lightly. He refused to value religious systems or the approval of people over her wellbeing. And, at the heart of our lesson for today, Jesus refused to put off until tomorrow the Kingdom work He was able to do today!

And so we read: “He called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.’ Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.” (v.12-13)

Surely that is an understatement. One cannot begin to imagine the overwhelming joy and the exuberant rejoicing that would be triggered by a healing that had been eighteen years in the making! I imagine tears of joy, whoops of delight, shouts of praise and hands punching the air in celebration. The Kingdom of God had broken in to her reality and she had been made completely new.

May I invite you to join me in considering what we might be able to do today to bless, help, support, care, comfort or even heal someone today? Then let’s consider that Jesus calls us not to put off until tomorrow the Kingdom work we are able to do today!

Contemplation

Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn this declaration over and over in your mind. Keep it in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.

As a disciple of Jesus Christ:

• I will refuse to put off until tomorrow the Kingdom work I am able to do today.

Lord Jesus, please show me the good You want me to do today, and empower me to accomplish it in Your Name. Amen.