Eighteen Years! (#OneMinuteMondays)

Eighteen Years! That’s how long it had been that this woman was bent over according to our storyteller Luke in his Gospel.

Eighteen Years Stooped Over

Jesus attends a synagogue on a particular Sabbath where He is asked to teach. As He teaches, He notices a woman in the small crowd who is stooped over. Dr. Luke tells the story:

Now He was teaching in one of the synagogues on the Sabbath. And behold, there was a woman who had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bent over and could in no way raise herself up. But when Jesus saw her, He called her to Him and said to her, “Woman, you are loosed from your infirmity.” And He laid His hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God. (Luke 13:10-13)

There’s more to this story; however, I just want to focus your attention on this woman for one moment as you begin to start your day and week.

Eighteen Years of Suffering, Yet…

Notice in this very simple story the following key thoughts:

• For eighteen years she had suffered under this spirit of infirmity. The text describes this as some kind of demonic oppression which made it impossible to walk straight. The problem was not her physical anatomy; she was under the spiritual bondage of Satan. I hate to even imagine her suffering.
• Yet, for eighteen years, she had not let this spiritual suffering destroy her spiritually. She chose to come to the synagogue to worship. In fact, you could say, in spite of the fact that she had this spirit of infirmity, she still chose to come to worship.
• She did not come demanding anything specifically from God. In this short story, Jesus noticed her and called out to her. She did not ask for a miracle. Instead, she worshiped at the synagogue under suffering without seeking the miracle.
• Yet, on this day, this stooped over woman received more than she bargained for from God. God blessed her with healing as Jesus called out to her.

Today and This Week…

Friend, as you begin your new day and week, you may be similar to this woman and find yourself in suffering. In regard to her, God healed her on the Sabbath demonstrating His mercy through Jesus as part of the growing Kingdom of God (Luke 13:10-21). You nor I know God’s plan for us in the midst of our suffering. It would be very easy to choose not to be faithful. My prayer for you is that you also will remain in worship. In spite of your suffering, Jesus’ sacrificial death on the cross makes worship worth it. May we also be faithful in worship while we wait on the God’s plan in our own lives as well.

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