Call to Gather, Pray and Worship God
2 Peter 1:3
Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
Breaking down this blessing, we find that grace and peace come abundantly with knowledge of God and of Jesus, the “exact representation of His being” (Hebrews 1:3).
Who doesn’t want peace? Who couldn’t use an increase of grace in his/her life?
Jesus’ Healing
of the Crippled Woman
Imagine hobbling off to church (in this case the local synagogue) as you have for the last five, ten, even twenty years.
Only this week there are visitors. You didn’t notice them at first because your hobbling posture has you stooped over seeing mostly dirt and sandals.
Come to find out, among the group is the one known as Jesus – the one people have been clamoring about, even calling the promised Messiah.
He’s got all kinds of people around him, these disciples and others – it caused quite an unusual stir in our normally quiet place of worship. It would get much more unusual than that as Jesus then calls you forward personally, speaks directly to you and then heals you with a touch of his hands. How would you respond to this trip to worship where Jesus changed your world? See yourself in the story as you learn about this healing by Jesus.
Luke 13:10-17
Jesus Heals a Crippled Woman on the Sabbath
10 On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, 11 and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. 12 When Jesus saw her, he called her forward and said to her, “Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.” 13 Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.
14 Indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, the synagogue leader said to the people, “There are six days for work. So come and be healed on those days, not on the Sabbath.”
15 The Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Doesn’t each of you on the Sabbath untie your ox or donkey from the stall and lead it out to give it water? 16 Then should not this woman, a daughter of Abraham, whom Satan has kept bound for eighteen long years, be set free on the Sabbath day from what bound her?”
17 When he said this, all his opponents were humiliated, but the people were delighted with all the wonderful things he was doing.
Prayer
[Insert your own prayer abou this week's devotions.]