Galatians 6:9
My church is doing a Bible study on the Gospel of Luke. Last night, we covered chapter four. There’s a lot of events that occur in that chapter. The account of Jesus being tempted by Satan, as well as Jesus preaching in his hometown synagogue and being run out of town, are all big stories. Jesus casts out demons in this chapter and heals many. The last verses tell us that He went away for some quiet time.
I could write a post on every one of those worthy of our thought, topics, but last night, there were two simple verses that really caught my attention. It’s an account of an everyday woman, just like me. She was so ordinary, the writer doesn’t even bother to name her.
She is known simply as Simon’s mother-in-law. In verses thirty-eight and thirty-nine, we learn that she has been in bed with a high fever and they asked Jesus to help her. We don’t know who “they” are either, but Jesus answers their request and He leans over her and rebukes the fever. “She got up at once and began to wait on them.” Luke 4:39b
It’s just a simple story, really, of a simple woman, serving Jesus. Yet, it speaks volumes.
I love all of the simple stories of unnamed people tucked throughout the scripture, who are doing God’s work.
There were people who loved her enough to ask Jesus for His help. Isn’t that what we are doing when we pray for the people that we care about? Aren’t we asking Jesus to intervene in some way, whether it’s to heal physical sickness, spiritual sickness, emotional sickness, or financial or relationship issues?
How did Jesus react to the requests of those who cared about her?
He healed her.
How does she react?
Is she thankful, while she takes a long deserved rest? Does she take a vacation? Does she feel entitled somehow because she has been through so much and overcome so much? Does she question God for letting her get sick in the first place?
Nope.
She gets up and serves them, immediately. She serves Jesus.
What do we do when our prayers for healing or deliverance are finally answered? Are we super thankful as we get right back to living our lives or are we convicted in some way to serve the God who has saved us?
It can be really difficult sometimes, to get back to serving when we feel we have been smacked down somehow, yet that’s exactly what Christians are called to do. As long as we are breathing, there is work to be done. Simon’s mother-in-law serves as a beautiful reminder for me. Perhaps you needed reminding too.
Have a awesome day!
Wendy 🙂