When I first read the Gospel for this week, I thought "I know, I know, I know I am the worst at keeping the Sabbath holy". Especially when I was teaching, Sunday was the day of laundry, grocery store, cleaning the house day; totally guilty.....but if we only concentrate on that part of Luke's message, we miss some of the good news. It's the "bent over woman" who we need to look at this week. 18 years of not being able to stand up straight, the agony of trying to sleep at night or never being able to look someone in the eye, and not to mention, Luke makes it clear this was the work of a "spirit". Imagine her joy when Jesus says "Woman you are set free from your infirmity." Her "bentness" was gone.
We all experience weakness; areas of our lives that just linger in the back of our minds, concerns about our children that keep us awake at night, that thorn in your side, not seeing eye to eye with someone, a dread or fear, unbreakable habits, seeing the cup half empty, guilt. I may not have mention your exact bending point but I bet you thought of it. Maybe these things don't physically bend us over or show themselves outwardly in our appearance, but they are there. Here is the good news! "Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." (Hb. 4:14,16) Mercy and grace; sympathy. Sometimes that is all we need to face our weakness.
He may not call us forward and immediately straighten us for many reasons. "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weakness, so that Christ's power may rest on me....For when I am weak, then I am strong (2Cor. 12:8-10). When we admit our weakness, truly lay our burdens down, stand on His promises, we will find ourselves straightening up; looking upward.
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